Importance of knowing domestic abuse
What is domestic violence?
The University of Michigan defines domestic violence as follows:
Domestic violence occurs when a person uses physical violence, coercion, threats, intimidation, isolation, stalking, emotional abuse, sexual abuse or economic abuse to control another partner in a relationship. Domestic violence can be a single act or a pattern of behavior in relationships, which encompass dating, marriage, family and roommate relationships.
It is a violation of the right we all have to healthy, supportive and safe relationships.
Survivor: the individual who is being targeted for abuse.
Abuser: the individual who is inflicting the abuse.
Domestic violence is illegal
How does it happen?
· There is a build-up of tensions and a breakdown in communication
· A trigger occurs that sets off the batter
· A violent event occurs
· The “honeymoon” period follows. The batterer apologizes, asks forgiveness, and swears it will never happen again. He “courts” the partner. The survivor wants to believe the batter will change and they make up
· Life returns to “normal” until tensions begin again and the cycle continues
[stopabuse.umich.edu/public domain]
· A women is assaulted or beaten every nine seconds.
· 1 in 3 women –and 1 in 4 men- have been in abusive relationships, and 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men have faced severe physical violence.
· 20 people are abused by an intimate partner every minute, adding up to 10 million each year.
· More than 200,000 phone calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines every year.
· Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crimes.
· The presence of guns in a home where domestic violence is a problem increases the risk of murder by 500%.
Both Men and Women can be Victims
Remember these key facts, which debunk many intimate partner violence myths:
· No amount of bad behavior can induce someone to behave violently. Victims do not cause their abuse, even if they are unfaithful, unreasonable, or unkind.
· Responding to violence with violence is only acceptable in cases of self-defense, not to punish the perpetrator.
· No level of violence is normal or acceptable in a relation; a person who resorts to violence once will likely do so again.
· Domestic violence harms children even when the children are not physically abused; many police departments treat domestic violence in the presence of children as a form of child abuse.
[Psychologytoday.com/public domain]
(Relevancy)
Broken Gracefully is an intriguing novel that details the true story of how I’ve overcome Domestic Violence. I’ve always had a desire to help other women from my story, and I didn’t know how my voice was going to be heard until the Lord dropped writing a book into my spirit. As time passed, I learned about the increasing number of women, today who have either lost their lives or who have had their lives permanently changed by domestic violence; so I knew I had to follow through with writing this book. Though men, adolescents, and children suffer from Domestic Violence as well, women still are the number one victims of this type of abuse.
(Engage)
Please feel free to ask questions on how and what I did to get free. Share your stories as well as it is very helpful in the rebuilding process of regaining your self-worth and strength to take a stand. Although engaging in traumatic events can open up hurtful wounds, engagement is knowing that you were and are not alone. Seeing the stories of others who have experienced, witness, and survived domestic violence can give one the courage and strength to get out and stay out. Never be ashamed of your story, where someone else may feel weak, hearing your voice will give them strength.
(Sets my book apart)
Another domestic violence story? Why didn’t she just leave? Though domestic violence shows similarity in signs, each person is affected differently. Broken Gracefully give in great details the journey that was taken for me to get free. “Just Leave” it’s easier said than doing. Until you find yourself in the shoes of a domestic abused person, to “Just Leave” is not as easy for most. Fear, guilt, shame, and failure to name a few sets in. This book was written to increase faith, give hope, and learn to forgive in the rebuilding process. Come along on this journey to learn how to get out, stay out, be free, and live.
