AN OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
What is Domestic Violence?
Any act carried out with the intention of physically or emotionally harming another person who is related to you by blood; present or prior marriage or common law marriage; having (or allegedly having) a child in common; having (or have had) a dating relationship. This also includes a person with a disability and their personal assistant.
Domestic Violence Is…A CRIME
Domestic Violence Is…Physical Abuse:
Hitting, shoving, kicking, biting, throwing body down, slapping, choking, using a weapon against, etc.
Domestic Violence Is…Emotional Abuse:
Verbal abuse; intimidation or threats; isolation, restricting or controlling activities, etc.
Domestic Violence Is…Sexual Abuse:
Forcing victim into sexual activities against their will, flaunting extra-marital affairs, harassment, etc.
Domestic Violence Is…Economic Abuse:
Taking persons money, keeping them from getting or keeping a job, making them ask for money, etc.
Domestic Violence Is…Destruction of Property or Pets:
Breaking victim’s property of favorite objects, hurting or killing.
Domestic Violence Is…Stalking
Following and/or placing a person under surveillance thereby causing that person to be in reasonable apprehension of immediate or future bodily harm, sexual assault, confinement or restraint.
The purpose of all abuse is to control the victims behavior by the inducement of fear, and contributes to the abusers power and control over the victim.
The Violent Facts
In 2016 the City of Chicago reported…
162,312 domestic violence calls – an average of 445 calls per day. There were a total of 39 domestic violence related homicides.
Domestic Violence causes…
more injury to adult women than cancers, heart attacks, or strokes combined.
Male children who witness abuse…
of one parent by another are, as adults, 700 times more likely to batter their partners. If male children are also physically abused themselves, they are 1,000 times more likely to batter their female partners.
Victims of Domestic Violence
Get information and tools to help you and your family cope by clicking the button below.
For immediate help, call our 24-hour Crisis Line: (800) 360-6619.
“I am anything that I want to be and not because somebody told me but because I believe in myself.”
Sheila, Survivor
Donate
Change the life of a survivor today! Family Rescue offers its support services thanks to the generous support from individual donors and organizations. Thank you for your kind donation!
