This is the first part of a two-part blog.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 511,000 women were violently assaulted on average each year between 2001 and 2005 by a spouse or intimate partner. In fact, studies show that one in four women will be violently assaulted in her lifetime. And while these numbers seem enormous on their own, we must also keep in mind that domestic and sexual assault are the most underreported of all crimes, so it is more than likely that these reported statistics are significantly less than the actual number of crimes committed.
Given this information, it is undeniable that domestic assault against women is an incredibly pertinent problem in the United States. Unfortunately, however, many women believe that violent assaults can be avoided by simply not walking down dark alleys at night. They do not realize that most assaults are inflicted by people they already know and trust. So what can we do to shed light on the issue? The first step is to teach women how to protect themselves from sexual and domestic violence. In order to do so, they must recognize the different kinds of abuse.
- Physical Abuse – using physical pain or physical force to intimidate
- Sexual Abuse – any unwanted sexual contact on a victim by a perpetrator
- Emotional /Psychological Abuse – insults, mind-games, manipulation, etc.
- Financial Abuse – abuser uses money as means of controlling their partner
Domestic violence can combine any or all of these types of abuse. For example, when women are being physically abused, some form of emotional or psychological abuse is usually present as well. While each type of abuse is terrifying in its own way, the National Domestic Abuse Hotline suggests these ways that women can protect themselves or escape from these situations.
- Look for signs in your significant other. Do they want to know everything about where you were during the day or get jealous easily? Did they push for a quick serious involvement in your relationship or have unrealistic expectations of you? Do they try to isolate you from your friends and family or seem to have substance abuse issues with drugs or alcohol? These are all signs that your partner has significant potential to become abusive.
- Call a domestic violence or rape crisis hotline. The people that work these lines are trained and can help women find places to go where you’ll be safe. If you don’t know a local number, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE.
- Pack a bag with some essential items you’ll need in order to be free of your abuser. These items include money, identification, birth certificate, and clothes. Keep this bag in a safe place such as the trunk of your car.
- When you call a domestic violence hotline, ask them about shelters in your area. If there’s no room in the one closest to you, they can find you another one nearby. Domestic violence shelters can also set you up with an advocate, a therapist, child care, and legal aid.
For additional resources, check out this brochure from the National Crime Prevention Council’s website, The Hidden Crime: Domestic Violence [PDF].
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