Recognizing Domestic Violence

Marie Miguel was doing a free mental health project and came across the IMPACT Chicago website (see her bio below). What caught her eye was the IMPACT Chicago blog on “Responding to Self-Defense Critics.”  Marie offers her thoughts about recognizing domestic violence.

Did you know that almost 20 people every minute in the United States who are physically abused by a domestic partner? That is more than 10 million people per year. Although women are far more commonly victimized, 1 out of every 4 men has suffered from some type of domestic abuse. Also, one in 15 children is subjected to domestic violence every year. These are horrifying numbers. What can we do about it?

Learn the Signs of an Abuser

     There are different types of abuse. Although many believe that physical abuse is the worst, emotional and psychological abuse last much longer. The types of abuse include:
·       Psychological abuse includes intimidation, threats, destroying property, and isolation from others.
·       Economic abuse consists of any way to make a person dependent on the abuser, including withholding money, not allowing you to leave the house, and controlling all finances.
·       Emotional abuse is the act of making a person feel like they are not worth anything. The abuser will chip away at your self-esteem by criticizing you, calling you names, telling others you are a loser, and making you believe nobody else wants you.
·       Sexual abuse includes any kind of sexual act without your consent. This can include rape, harming parts of your body, forcing sexual intercourse after violence, and sexually humiliating you. 
·       Physical abuse can include any type of harm to someone including biting, kicking, shoving, slapping, hitting, punching, cutting, pulling hair, and even denying you medical care when needed.

Listen to Your Intuition

Believe it or not, there are some warning signs that a loved one may be an abuser. Of course, not everyone shows the signs, but it may help to know what to look for. If you feel scared or nervous but cannot figure out why listen to your instincts and notice if a loved one is:

• Getting overly angry quickly
• Yelling at you
• Calling you names
• Making a fist
• Constantly criticizing you
• Extreme jealousy
• Isolating you from family and friends
• Makes you feel guilty about doing things you like
• Takes away your money and controls the finances
• Tells you what you can and cannot do
• Threatens you
• Stops you from working or going to school
• Tries to get you to do drugs or drink alcohol
• Tries to pressure you into having sex when you do not want to

Support and Resources

The Domestic Violence Resource Center offers resources for support.

• Community Advocacy
• Professional Counseling
• Confidential Shelter Servies
• Transitional Housing
• Safety Planning
• Community Education

And a 24-Hour Hotline: 503-469-8620 or 1-866-469-8600 

Marie Miguel

Marie Miguel is an avid internet researcher and she likes to write about a lot of topics namely, social media marketing, healthcare, and business. She has a college degree in Communication with Specialization in Integrated Marketing Communication. She has more than 10 years work experience in various fields namely, social media marketing, as well as, research for fast-moving consumer goods. Currently, she is working as a Marketing Associate in the fast-growing industry of solar energy. In her free time, she writes content for different websites and blogs, so that she can share her knowledge of her field and of other topics that she is interested in. Marie also likes to travel and her adventures allow her to have a broader worldview. Finally, she has four kids, who inspire her with her work and her writing.