“One in four women experience some form of violence from a partner in their lifetime. Every week two women die as a result of it.”
What is domestic violence?
“A pattern of coercive behavior one person uses to gain and maintain power and control over their partner.”
Do you feel safe in your relationship?
Does your partner…
-
Call you names, put you down, or make you feel worthless?
-
Blame you for arguments or problems in the relationship?
-
Act jealous, accuse you of cheating, or make you feel guilty for spending time with anyone else?
-
Threaten you or make you feel afraid?
-
Hurt you in ways such as hitting, strangling, pushing, or using objects or weapons?
-
Control what you do, who you see, where you go, what you wear, how you spend money?
If you would like to talk about what is going on in your relationship, call REACH for support 24 hours/day: 1-800-899-4000.
We know that:
-
Domestic violence has the highest rate of repeat victimization of any crime.
-
On average two women per week are killed by a male partner or former partner; nearly half of all female murder victims are killed by a partner or ex-partner;
-
About 30 men are killed by a female partner or former partner each year, of which some number are related to self defense following a history of abuse. But figures show that domestic violence is predominantly violence by men against women.
-
Among women, risks of domestic violence do not differ significantly by ethnic origin; people in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) communities experience domestic violence in a similar proportion to the rest of the population (about one in four) and;
-
More than a third of children in a violent home are aware of the abuse – that figure increases to 50% if the violence is repeated. Children may attempt to stop the violence and so put themselves at risk;
-
Domestic violence occurs across society regardless of age, gender, race, sexuality, wealth and geography.
The impact of domestic violence on its victims is profound:
-
Domestic violence causes lasting damage to its victim’s physical and mental health (More than 50% of women who seek mental health services have had violent or abusive experiences) affecting their ability to work, to support themselves, to maintain self-confidence and to move on and build a new life;
-
Domestic violence is a major cause of homelessness, accounting for about 16% of homeless shelter placements.
-
Growing up in a household with domestic violence can have a negative impact on, among other things, academic achievement and the likelihood of school attendance.
Sources:
-
US Department of Justice – Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1994
-
APA – 1996
-
Jane Doe, Inc. – 2000
-
U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
-
Minneapolis, MN: National Council on Family Relations, 1995