A violence wheel from www.domesticviolence.org that shows some common strategies of domestic violence.

Most people have heard about the Rihanna and Chris Brown story;  supposedly he hit her with an umbrella (ironic, I know)  from inside a limo and caused damage to her face and neck. If you have seen the pictures, it is devastating and I do not believe anyone deserves to be treated like this. Domestic violence is a very important issue and everyone should know about it. I never really thought about it until this story came out.

What is domestic violence?

“Domestic violence and emotional abuse are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other. Partners may be married or not married; heterosexual, gay, or lesbian; living together, separated or dating.” (domesticviolence.org). This violence can be in the form of physical, and emotional abuse. Abusing is not accidental or done under stress etc., it is intentional and should not be misunderstood.

Who can be a victim?

This can happen to everyone. Male, female, children, adults…no matter who you are this can happen to you. It may happen sometimes, or all the time. However, children growing up with domestic violence has a greater chance of being abused and/or neglected. Many children know if this violence is going on, and can cause emotional and behavioral problems even if he or she is not abused. Both men and women are victims of this violence, but in many cases it is women.

Who are the abusers?

Abusers are very difficult to just point out in a crowd. Most abuse only in private, while showing a certain image in public. Drinking and smoking is not always necessary for abusers to strike out. Abusers a lot of times have low self-esteem and may even blame the victim for causing the violence.

How to stay safe:

Always call 911 or the Police if you ever feel like you are in danger from an abuser. Many times these situations are illegal and it is very important to call for help. The police can arrest the abuser once enough evidence is proven. Once they arrive, be sure to:

• Tell what the abuser did to make you call
• If you have been physically hurt, tell where you were hit and how many times. Some marks take time to show up, but do show any that are visible. If marks are seen after they leave, take pictures and show it in court.
• Show if there is any broken/damaged items/property
• Get the officers’ name, badge number, and report number in case you need a copy of the report which can help you get a Personal Protection Order (PPO)

Things to remember:

• Get help from family and friends. They will always be there and support you.
• Though it is not fair that you would need to leave where you are living now, it may be the only way to stay safe
• Get medical help. You may have injuries that you didn’t even know you had and can turn into a big injury. If you are hit in the head, this can be serious and you definitely need to seek medical help.
• Make a plan. Plan what are you going to do if you ever encounter this situation, and if you feel unsafe.

This information is only a small portion about domestic violence. Please go to www.domesticviolence.org for more information including phone numbers to contact, and more about PPO’s.

In the future, we can only hope that we can diminish the far reaching effects of domestic violence. Completely ridding the world of violence is, of course, impossible, but if we aim high we have nothing to lose.

~Hope