What is Domestic Violence?
If you are in immediate danger call 911.
Otherwise, call our 24-hour Crisis Line at 800-369-5214.
If you or someone you love is in an unhealthy situation or experiencing violence, we can help! Someplace Safe provides services to victims and survivors of crime, their families, and our communities. Trained advocates assist individuals who have survived violent and abusive situations with their self-defined needs in safe, nonjudgemental environments. Advocates are available 24 hours a day to speak with you, help assess your needs and safety, provide information on parenting time, or help locate needed resources.
What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic Violence is a pattern of behavior used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, education, religion, disability status, or sexual orientation.
What are the Forms of Domestic Violence?
Physical
Pushing, shoving, slapping, strangulation, punching, kicking, using an object or weapon, using force to cause pain or injury.
Emotional
Name calling, threatening to harm partner, partners family, friends, pets or possessions, using insults (verbal abuse), isolation and harassment.
Sexual
Sexual contact or acts without consent or forced through threats of physical harm.
Economic
The use of finances where financial control of one person over anther is the goal rather than equality.
Psychological
Any abuse with the threat of violence. Psychological abuse involves fear, hurt, and degradation.
Many survivors, friends and families realize only after physical abuse begins that emotional, sexual, economic or psychological abuse were present during the early stages of the relationship.
Who does Domestic Violence Affect?
Domestic violence affects us all. Most people relate to domestic violence as the physical act of a male spouse or partner physically harming a wife or girlfriend. Actually, the power and control issues are prevalent in all types of relationships and can include female abuse of a partner. Teen Dating Violence, violence within gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender relationships and violence against people with disabilities or who are Deaf are often overlooked. Within the last several years, these issues have been well studied and better understood; therefore, the term Domestic Violence is often referred to as “Intimate Partner Violence.” All intimate partner violence is illegal and traumatic.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Violence
Partner violence appears to occur in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community with the same frequency and intensity as the heterosexual community. Unfortunately, LGBTQ partner violence remains underreported and largely unacknowledged in both the heterosexual and LGBTQ communities. A common threat an abusive partner will use to maintain control is the threat of “outing” their partner. LGBTQ survivors may resist seeking help due to concerns they will not receive the same fair and unbiased assistance & services from systems as their heterosexual counterparts. (www.outfront.org)
Violence Against People with Disabilities
While all of us want or need support, many individuals with disabilities rely on others for food, medication, finances, personal care, or equipment that is necessary for independence and survival. People with disabilities may experience subtle forms of abuse such as denial of these basic needs by a partner or personal care provider. This can have devastating emotional, medical or even lethal consequences. These factors can also limit a person with disabilities ability to report abuse or ask for help.
Teen Dating Violence
Teen relationships can be intense, emotional and sometimes, volatile. Many times parents are unaware or underestimate how intense the relationships have become and may not see signs that the relationship has moved beyond a healthy dating relationship. For more information, visit loveisrespect.org.
