Some Frightening Numbers
It is an epidemic of troubling proportions. Consider these facts: A woman is beaten every 15 seconds, and it is usually by someone she knows. Over two-thirds of violent victimizations against women are committed by someone known to them. And with domestic violence the leading cause of injury to American women between ages 15 and 44, more women are injured through domestic violence abuse than are injured by car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. Indeed, nationally 22 to 35 percent of women who visit medical emergency rooms are there for injuries related to ongoing partner abuse, and 50 percent of all homeless women and children are on the streets because of violence in the house.
Furthermore, sometimes the harm caused by domestic violence is not just physical. It is also mental and emotional. Battering is the establishment of control and fear in a relationship through violence and other forms of abuse. The batterer uses acts of violence and/or a series of behaviors, including intimidation, threats, psychological abuse, and isolation to coerce and to control the other person. The violence may not happen often, but it remains as a hidden (and constant) terrorizing factor. Name-calling or put-downs, isolation from family or friends, withholding of money, and threatened physical harm are all part of this series of behaviors.
Getting Help
There are many steps that can be taken to assist someone who may be a target of domestic violence. These steps include:
Approach a victim in an understanding, non-blaming way. Ask if she has suffered physical harm. Go with her to the hospital to check for injuries. Help her report the assault to the police, if she chooses to do so.
Provide information on help available to battered women and their children, including social services, emergency shelter, counseling services, and legal advice. To find this information, start with the Yellow Pages.
Inform her about legal protection that is available in most states under abuse prevention laws. Go with her to district, probate, or superior court to get a protective order to prevent further harassment by the abuser. If you can't go, find someone who can.
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