What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors used by one person to maintain power and control over another in an intimate or familial relationship.
DV relationships may include current or former spouses, dating partners, girlfriends/boyfriends, fiancée's, previous or current roommates, immediate family members, and individuals with a child in common.
Types of crimes that are charged in Domestic Violence Court
- Domestic Battery
- Violation of a protection from abuse order
- Unlawful Restraint
- Telephone Harassment
- Preventing a victim or witness from making a report
- Damage to Property
Risk Factors
- Increasing severity or frequency of physical violence
- Controls your daily activities.
- Access to firearm
- Has harmed you when you are pregnant.
- Use or threats to use a weapon against you
- Threatens to commit suicide
- Threatens to harm or kill you or loved ones
- Has forced you to have sex
- Uses drugs or excessive use of alcohol
- You are leaving or recently left an abusive relationship.
- Leaves you threatening notes, spies on you, calls you to check up on you.
Warning signs
- Extreme Jealousy
- Acts in ways that scare you
- Insults, shames or demeans you
- Destroys your property
- Controls the household money, does not let you get a job or going to school
- Threatens to harm you, your family, your children or others around you
- Controls who you see, where you go, what you do
Strangulation (“Choking”)
Has your partner put their hands on your neck or throat?
Strangulation is very dangerous. When the body is deprived of oxygen, loss of consciousness will result, if continued, ultimately death. Loss of consciousness may happen within seconds and death within minutes. If you have been choked or strangled, you should seek medical attention. Death can occur days or even weeks after the attack due to carotid artery dissection and respiratory complications such as pneumonia, acute, respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and the risk of blood clots traveling to the brain.
Up to 68% of Domestic Violence Victims will experience near-fatal strangulation.
Power & Control Wheel
The
Power & Control Wheel is a tool that helps explain the different ways an abusive partner uses power and control to manipulate a relationship.
