domestic abuse

Domestic or intimate partner violence may be one of America’s most widespread health problems, and yet the least reported.

Most abuse victims are female.

Domestic violence knows no economic, educational, racial, religious or age barriers.

What is DV?
It is a pattern of threatening or controlling behavior imposed on a woman by someone (usually someone she loves) without regard for her rights, feelings, body or health. A woman is abused if she has had intentional, often repeated physical, sexual, or emotional harm done to her by a person with whom she is or has been in an intimate relationship.

About 35% of women who go to emergency rooms are thought to be victims of abuse.

More than one third of female murder victims are killed by their partners.

Abuse can be actual or threatened. In most violent relationships, mental abuse and bullying go along with physical force.

Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, yet the problem is often overlooked, excused, or denied. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender.

It can happen to couples who are married, living together or who are dating. Domestic abuse that includes physical violence is called domestic violence.

Domestic abuse and/or violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.

Chidren as Victims
Children witnessing domestic violence and living in an environment where violence occurs may experience some of the same trauma as abused children. Not all children are affected by domestic violence in the same way. Children may become fearful, inhibited, aggressive, antisocial, withdrawn, anxious, depressed, angry, confused; suffer from disturbed sleep, problems with eating, difficulties at school and challenges in making friends. Children often feel caught in the middle between their parents and find it difficult to talk to either of them. Adolescents may act out or exhibit risk-taking behaviors such as drug and alcohol use, running away, sexual promiscuity and criminal behavior. Young men may try to protect their mothers, or they may become abusive to their mothers themselves. Children may injured if they try to intervene in the violence in their homes.