By Selah Jacoway
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) -October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Statistics report that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men will experience sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Types of abuse
Domestic violence takes multiple forms, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, and technology-facilitated abuse.
Recognizing warning signs
At the start of a new relationship, it’s not always easy to tell if it will later become abusive. Many abusive people appear like ideal partners in the early stages of a relationship. The warning signs of abuse don’t always appear overnight and may emerge and intensify as the relationship grows.
Some warning signs include:
• Telling you that you never do anything right
• Showing extreme jealousy of friends or time spent away from them
• Preventing or discouraging you from spending time with others
• Insulting, demeaning, or shaming you, especially in front of other people
• Preventing you from making your own decisions about working or attending school
• Controlling finances or taking your money
• Pressuring you to have sex or perform sexual acts you’re not comfortable with
The YWCA provides services to help survivors regain stability and rebuild their lives, including financial literacy training, medical and legal advocacy, emergency shelter and housing, crisis hotlines, counseling, supervised visitation services, and community prevention education.
Resources are available for those experiencing domestic violence. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE.
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