October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to discuss and educate others on an issue that largely affects women and men across the globe. Per the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence is synonymous with “intimate partner violence” and is defined as “a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship.” Domestic violence includes the use of physical and sexual violence, emotional abuse, economic deprivation, and threats and intimidation. The Hotline uses the Power & Control Wheel to describe what constitutes an abusive relationship in 8 different segments, all of which are fueled by the need for power and control in the relationship.
Domestic Violence Statistics
As college-aged women, it is awfully important to be educated on domestic violence as we are the demographic most likely to be affected by it. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly abused by their partner, with this age range accounting for 79% of the students attending college in the United States in 2012. This threat of violence does not simply disappear at the age of 25, though. In a woman’s lifetime, she has a:
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1 in 3 chance of being physically abused by an intimate partner
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1 in 4 chance of being severely physically abused by an intimate partner
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1 in 7 chance of being stalked by an intimate partner
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1 in 5 chance of being raped, with 46.7% of rapes occurring when the assailant is an intimate partner. This is a strong juxtaposition to the 1 in 71 chance men have at being raped in their lifetime
Not only does domestic violence leave a physical impact on victims, but it also leaves emotional and economic impacts. The NCADV has reported that victims of domestic violence lose 8 million days of paid work each year, with 21-60% of these victims losing their jobs due to these absences. These studies have also linked domestic violence with depression, suicidal behavior, miscarriages, stillbirths, chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. Unfortunately, though, not all domestic violence occurrences get reported. While over 716,000 instances of domestic violence were reported to police in the United States in the past decade, it is estimated that over 580,000 instances went unreported.
Where to Seek Help & How to Give it
The first step in seeking help within an abusive relationship is being able to recognize the signs of domestic violence, as depicted in the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s Power & Control Wheel. Seeking help for a loved one can be more difficult, though, as victims may be hesitant to step forward and you may not be a witness to the actual abuse. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, warning signs that someone you know may be experiencing domestic abuse include a possessive and jealous partner, unexplained injuries, constant worrying over making their partner angry, and their partner chastising them in front of others. It is vital to remain supportive and non-judgmental of the victim throughout the entire recovery process, reassuring them that help is possible. For further details on how to support someone in an abusive relationship, visit here.
Where to seek help online/over the phone:
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Where to seek help near UCF: