Domestic abuse is something that even today, a lot of people avoid talking about. There are plenty of reasons why talking about it is extremely important though. The most important is to protect the victims of such abuse, and this is the reason why this article is here. No matter whether you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or not, informing yourself on the topic is important. The more you know about the forms of such abuse and how to prevent it, the higher the possibility that you’ll help someone. Be it your friend, work colleague, your neighbor, or yourself.
In this article, we will talk about the things that you can do to protect yourself from domestic violence.
Recognizing Domestic Violence
The first step to protecting yourself is to recognize that abuse is happening. It sounds straightforward enough, but the subject is more complex than you might think. There is no typical domestic violence scenario, and abuse comes in many different forms. Sometimes, people might categorize violence as an isolated incident. In such cases, they might not recognize that the pattern is already there. If you feel afraid of being in your home at any time, something is wrong. Once you recognize the behavior as it is – abuse, you are more likely to act on it.
If Things Escalate – Don’t Stray Away from Calling the Police
In situations where the abuser escalates, the victims often tend not to delay calling the police as much as possible. Sometimes, it happens because of the fear of the abuser, or because they don’t believe that police can help. These situations can indeed be problematic since you never know how anyone is going to react.
Even having all that in mind, it’s better that you call 911 if things are escalating and you are in danger. If you have the possibility to find one, having a domestic violence attorney would be the best option for a good resolution of the situation regarding domestic abuse. A good attorney will be able to guide and represent you, ultimately helping you handle the situation well.
Make a Safety Plan
If getting out of an abusive situation were easy, a lot fewer people would be in such situations. Until you’re able to reach out and get away, you must come up with a safety plan. Such a plan will help you protect yourself in case of abuse. The first thing to pinpoint are nuances that can help you recognize when the abuser is getting angry. Recognizing these signs is crucial in escalating situations.
Locate safe spaces
You should also look into the safest areas of your home where you can go in case of abuse. The ideal space is a larger one where there are no potential weapons. It would be best if you can identify the area with the largest number of possible exits.
Escape strategies
It would be best if you’d always have some reasons to leave your home that are believable. These will come into play whenever being in your home isn’t safe anymore. Make sure that you create these reasons both for daytime and nighttime.
You should also have a code word that you’ll share with the people that you trust. In case you’re in danger, this code will tell them that without the risk of the abuser escalating the situation even more. On that note, make sure that you have the emergency contacts memorized!
Reach Out
Without a doubt, reaching out is incredibly hard when it comes to domestic abuse. But, having even just one person that you trust and can rely on can make a huge difference. No matter if it’s a friend or a family member, the hardest part is the first step. After that, with proper support, you will have a safety net that is essential when it comes to experiencing domestic abuse.
There are more resources out there specifically made for victims of domestic abuse that you can reach out to for help. Make sure that you do your research on all the hotlines in your area. They can even help you create a safety plan that we’ve talked about previously.
If you have the possibility to do so, reaching out to a healthcare professional is something that you should do. They can help you in many different ways, so, this is something that you should always have in mind in case of a crisis.
Domestic abuse is a complicated matter because of many reasons, but one thing is very simple. All of us have the responsibility to contribute positively to help. The first step is always informing yourself – only after that can you start acting. In case you are in a household where such violence is present, never forget that you’re not alone.
There are resources and helplines that you can use, and things can get better. Make sure to explore all the options that we’ve talked about in this article. Continue researching the options available in your area. Reach for support and keep pushing, you will be able to get out of this.