Domestic Violence:

Does Your Partner:
Often lose their temper
Insult, blame or bully others
Try to control others
Verbalize threats or wish for revenge
Carry a weapon
Frequently use drugs or alcohol
Have a history of aggression
Exhibit hidden or explosive emotions
Practice cruelty to animals
Ignore the rights of others
Engage in high levels of risky behavior
Ignoring some or all of these
kinds of behavior will not change
them and can lead to danger.
Do You:
Feel like you are “walking on eggshells”
Often hide emotions or thoughts
Keep your opinions to yourself
Try to anticipate your partner’s behaviors
Let your partner pick your friends
Feel afraid
Want out of the relationship
Use alcohol or drugs when
you don’t want to
Feel pressured into activities
Contribute more than your share of time,
money and effort to the relationship
You are in an unhealthy relationship.
If you have experienced violence,
the threat of violence or emotional
abuse, seek help and support to reach
a goal of personal health and safety.
New HOPE Women’s Outreach
Northwest Indiana and South Chicago
219-838-1093
Statistics
Domestic Violence is one of the most common of all crimes.
Acts of domestic violence occur every 15 seconds in the U.S.
About half of all couples experience at least one violent incident: in a fourth of these couples, violence is a common occurrence.
20% of all murders in this country are committed within the family and 13% are committed by spouses.
Most family violence is committed against women.
95% of all spousal assaults are committed by men.
21% of all women who use hospital emergency services are battered.
Six million American women are beaten each year by their husbands or boyfriends. 4,000 of them are killed.
Battering is the single major cause of injury to women- more frequent than auto accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.
One in four female suicides is by victims of family violence.
Domestic violence takes its toll on the family, society,
and the future.
Over one million women each year seek medical help for injuries caused by battering.
Victims of domestic violence are three times more likely to be victimized again than are victims of other types of crime.
Children are emotionally traumatized by witnessing family violence; many of them grow up to repeat the pattern as victim or abuser.
Children from violent homes
More than half of the children whose mothers are abused are also likely to be victims of physical abuse. Older children are often injured while trying to protect their mothers.
Whether or not the children are abused physically, they suffer emotional trauma and psychological scars from watching their fathers beat their mothers.
In homes where domestic violence occurs, fear, instability, and confusion replace the love, comfort, and nurturing that children need. These children live in constant fear of physical harm from the person who is supposed to care for and protect them. They may feel guilt at loving the abuser or blame themselves for causing the violence.
Children form these homes may experience stress-related physical ailments, as well as hearing and speech problems.
Children from violent homes have higher risks of alcohol/drug abuse and juvenile delinquency.

As I was reading this, it was almost as if you knew me. Everything you had in your post, I can realate to. I have been trying to tell my story to anyone who will give me the chance.
bware:
I’m glad you found us! If you can identify with that description it can be hard to get people to understand what you’re trying to tell them, but keep saying it because it really matters.
Do you have support where you are?
– Danni, NHO moderator