Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: What You Need To Know

Everyone deserves to be loved, safe, and secure. Unfortunately, far too many women and men are victims of some form of domestic violence.

At North Care, we believe knowledge about your body and your choices turns fear into confidence. Since October is domestic violence awareness month, we’ve compiled some facts and resources on domestic violence safety and awareness. Arm yourself with information so that you and those around you can stay safe.

Domestic abuse defined

Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship.

The facts are staggering

According to a 2010 report, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. Even worse, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.1 On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.

The statistics are simply staggering, which means that it’s even more important that we are informed enough to be vigilant, educated, and aware.

Safety tips

If you’re in danger, the first thing you should do is call 911.
If you want to report an instance of domestic violence, save the following numbers in your phone for The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224.
Be proactive — create a safety plan. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has a great template for forming your own, personalized safety plan: https://ncadv.org/personalized-safety-plan

What do I do if… ?

“What do I say to a friend who might be abused?” First and foremost, listen to them. Be supportive. Show them that you aren’t there to judge, but that they can trust you with this information and that you’re there to help.
“My friend is staying in an abusive relationship.” From the outside looking in, it can be confusing and difficult to understand why someone would choose to stay with an abusive partner. Yet unfortunately, there are lots of reasons that both women and men choose to stay: perceived pressure from society, low self-esteem, distrust of authority, conflicting emotions, believing the abuse is normal, fear, reliance on the abusive partner, to name a few.
For more specific questions and answers, click here.

Now that you know … take action

Be a supportive friend. Help educate others on the issue and share the hotline numbers so they can help report abusive instances. Learn about what healthy relationships look like (here’s a great article on healthy love) and remind those around you that domestic abuse is not okay.

Other helpful resources + links

Together, we can put an end to domestic violence.

At North Care we care about your safety, health, and wellness. If you have questions about domestic violence or potentially abusive relationships, or would like someone to talk to, contact us to make a confidential appointment to talk to one of our caring professionals.