Do you know that on average, almost 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the USA? In one year, this correlates to more than 10 million women and men, more so, 1 in 4 women than 1 in 9 men experience drastic intimate partner physical violence. Furthermore, 19% of domestic violence involves a weapon. These statistics are mind-blowing, and it shows how much people suffer from domestic violence.
Domestic violence comes in many forms – the first involves a confrontation between household members involving; physical or emotional harm, fear of sexual assault. You should know that there isn’t always a regular victim when it comes to domestic violence and more so, domestic violence doesn’t always manifest as bodily mishandling.
How Do I Defend Myself From Domestic Violence?
If you’re a victim of domestic abuse, there are things you can do to limit it or even better stop it. And this involves talking to your neighbors and friends about it, the more people you tell the better. This is all the more reason law specialists at https://beleslaw.com/oakland-domestic-violence-lawyers/ advise you also call the police or speak to a lawyer if you’re in grave danger. More so, you can even contact carers’ support groups for help and ask for advice services. Going forward there are other ways in which you can defend yourself from domestic violence, and they’re;
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First Things First – You Need to Seek Support
Expressing your pain and struggles to people who care about you, is a great way to relieve yourself from stress, more so, you can also find peace by sharing your struggles with people who support you. Furthermore, when you do this, you can get advice, gain perspective on how to handle your domestic violence issues, and better still be comforted.
If you have a supportive community who helps you in combating your domestic violence issue, then they can even help in planning your escape routes, provide you with a car, extra money, if you may need to escape quickly.
3. Take Care of and Be Kind to Yourself
Irrespective of the abuse you might be going through, you must make your well-being a top priority, you should keep this in mind, you’re important thus you deserve to be treated with prestige. Take cool showers, rest, eat healthily and well, and communicate with your friends often. You can even take classes at a community college and improve your job skills, this way you boost your self-worth and self-confidence.
It’s Not Too Late to File a Protective Order
To prevent your abuser from abusing you, you can file a protective order. A protective order prevents abusers from disturbing or contacting their victims. Even more so, abusers are asked to not visit their victims’ homes or offices. Abusers are also ordered to surrender their firearms and attend counseling – this way the victim is safe from the abuser.
If the Violence Worsens Collect Evidence
You can record details of your abuse, and this involves writing journals, noting threats, and all abusive incidents. If you’re injured as a result of your abuse, see a doctor and have them, record the visit. More so, print and save all harassing emails and texts containing threats made to you. When you do all of this, you can use all the recorded documents as evidence in court, even if it isn’t a court case, you can avoid any denial that could be made by your abuser and in turn easily get help.
Always Seek to Stay in Safe Places to Avoid Abuse
Study your abuser and when things are about to get rough or turmoil, look for safe hiding places in your home, that are also far from potential weapons. And if you’re in a situation where the violence seems unavoidable, go into a corner and curl up, protect your face and your arm. And make sure you don’t wear scarves or jewelry, so as not to easily have any form of injury.
You should have a list of emergency numbers you can call right away when you get abused. Or better still you can memorize a number to call and mind you the people you call should live close by. Buy a new cell phone, keep it in hand and keep it a secret from your abuser on anyone. And if you feel your calls and message are being monitored, you can borrow a phone from someone else.
Conclusively you can even get counseling, emotional and aid support from health professionals. And if you need immediate help with your injuries, you should go to a hospital emergency room.
