Stand Against Domestic Violence

I was shocked when I read these statistics. I know domestic violence is a big problem, but I had no idea the numbers were so high. One out of four women surveyed by the government (the CDC conducted a randomized phone survey of about 9,000 women and 7400 men) said that they have been violently attacked by their husbands or boyfriends.

Next time you are sitting in church or in line at the grocery store, look around. One in four women? That’s one in four too many!

When we break down the numbers by the type of violence, we find that 29 million women report severe physical violence (choking, beating, stabbing, punching, etc.). When you add slapping, pushing and shoving, the number grows to 36 million. Of those women who reported being raped or an attempted rape, over half said the rape happened when they were 17 years of age or younger. The highest numbers of sexual violators were found in Alaska, Oregon and Nevada. Virginia and Tennessee had the lowest numbers.

So if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, what can be done?

First, recognize the signs of an abuser. Usually you will see the following:

• Relationship exclusion

• Disrespect of former partners

• Treats you with praise and then disrespect

• Possessive or extremely jealous

• Lavishly showers you with gifts

• Controls the relationship and doesn’t negotiate

• Blames you and others

• Is self-centered

• Pressures you for sex

• Is one way in private settings and another in public

• Wants to be with you all the time

• Is aggressive and belligerent

If you are being abused, first make a plan for your safety. The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) is available 24 hours a day and can help you plan, make referrals and educate you on options. It is important to have support because violence can escalate if a partner knows you are trying to leave. It won’t be easy, but staying put may end your life. The hotlines can put you in touch with shelters, job training, legal services and childcare.

The most important thing to know is that no one deserves to be battered. You didn’t cause this and are not responsible for someone hurting you. You are valuable to God. He created you to be respected and treated with care. No one has the right to hurt you. There are people waiting to help. Get help today and don’t become one out of four women who are battered.