One out of four women in the United States has suffered from domestic violence. Women between the ages of 20 -24 seem to be at the greatest risk of being a victim of this violence. It doesn’t matter if you are White, African American or Asian; all races are equally susceptible to this behavior. While women used to try and hide this abuse to protect their partners, or cover their own embarrassment, cases are increasingly being reported to authorities. Maybe this is because the Violence Against Women Act has been effective at creating new and more serious punishments for domestic violence crimes. Basically, women finally have a place a turn that will give them the support they need to get away from this lifestyle.
Some women may not realize or know if they are truly being abused. They might have misconceptions that the way their husband or boyfriend is behaving is how every relationship is. You might think that your husband has the authority to control whom you see and don’t see because he is after all, the head of the household. You might think that his threats to hurt you or the children are not serious, but just his way of reminding you that you need to stay within his guidelines of how to behave. However, this is considered emotional abuse and should not be tolerated.
Furthermore, there are so many couples that just overlook hits, punches and violent altercations as "just our way of arguing" or "tough love". This is a horrid misconception and overall twisted way of thinking. No matter how heated an argument gets or how frustrated you may become with your lover or yours spouse becomes with you, escalating a verbal argument into a physical beating is never a sign of true love. It is exactly what it appears to be and what it is charged as within the judicial system - domestic violence. Now that this fact is clear in your mind, this is what you need to do:
1) Call the Police
Do not hesitate to get the police involved. If you are the victim of the domestic violence, you need to take the appropriate action now and get it documented through your local police precinct. It is okay to be afraid and is completely understandable. But, you do not want to wait until it's too late to let them know what is going on. If you know of someone that is a victim of domestic violence, then be a true friend and make the emergency call that just might save his or her life.
2) Get Out of the Situation
You are not just going to stand in a lion's den, especially after you have already survived the first bite. You are going to do whatever is necessary in order to get out of there as fast as possible. This is the same exact line of thinking that you need to have when it comes to domestic violence. If you are the victim, get out of there as fast as possible. Do not think too long about what needs to be done. If you think long, you think wrong and will eventually rationalize your way out of making a life-saving decision to leave.
3) Seek Help From Friends and Family
Confide in someone you trust about the abuse. You shouldn’t face this problem alone. Create a support network that will be there for you when you decide to leave.
Domestic violence is a problem that is not going to solve itself or just go away on its own. It can only be stopped if we take the necessary action to stop it. Domestic violence may start with the other person in the relationship, but it can only end with your strength to stop the situation.
Ifyou are abusive and find yourself unable to control the behavior, then you should seek help as well. Take a domestic violence class online to give you the tools you need to overcome this angry behavior. Think of the possible consequences of your violence and get help now.
Tags:
stop domestic violence| what to do if you are victim of domestic violence| support for domestic abuse| help for domestic abusers
