Haven House
What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is physical, emotional, or sexual abuse that
occurs within the context of the family household. The abuser can be someone
who lives with you or has a familial or intimate relationship with you...spouse,
lover, parent, child, or any family member.
Domestic violence is about power and control. In some cases
victims of abuse live in constant fear although they may have never been physically
assualted, as abusers can use various methods of abuse to fain power and control
over their partner/family member.
Domestic violence includes, but is not limited to:
- Physical abuse: hitting, slapping, kicking, shoving, pushing,
punching, using or threatening to use a weapon.
- Psychological or emotional battering: verbal abuse (name-calling,
belittling, swearing, screaming); isolation; limitation of free movement (taking
your keys away, refusing you access to a vehicle or phone, restricting your right
to leave the house, constantly following you or checking up on you); sleep and nutrition
deprivation; extreme jealousy; threat of abuse; killing or threatening to kill you,
someone you know, or even a pet.
- Sexual violence: accusations of infidelity, forced sexual
activity, marital or acquaintance rape, sexual abuse of your child.
- Economic abuse: withholding food or money, lying about assets,
not allowing you to go to school or get a job, destruction of property, on-the-job
harassment.
Domestic violence does not usually stop without intervention. Often it
becomes more frequent and more severe over time. The long term
results can be devastating for the victim and the family. Children who grow
up in violent homes are more likely than other children to become either abusers
or victims of abuse when they reach adulthood.
Domestic violence occurs in all racial, social, economic, religious and ethnic groups.
It can occur in heterosexual, gay and lesbian
relationships. Physical abuse, violence, intimidation, and destruction
of property are violations of your rights and they are crimes. We believe
that people have a right to lead lives free from violence. The abuse is
never the fault of the victim.