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Knowing the risk factors of domestic violence can help assess whether you or a friend is at risk for becoming involved in a domestic violence incident: Personality Factors: Low self-esteem Depression Anger and hostility Self-centered (narcissistic) personality traits Antisocial personality traits Borderline personality traits Emotional dependence and insecurity Desire for power and control in relationships […]

Intimate partner abuse occurs between two people in a close relationship. The term “intimate partner” includes current or former spouses, spouses in the process of separating, and dating partners. Partner abuse exists along a continuum from a single incident of abuse to ongoing battering. Abuse can be one-way or mutual. Partner abuse includes four types of […]

A domestic violence safety plan is a written plan that is designed to help you decide in advance what you will do if you need to escape from a dangerous situation. Many different safety plans are available. Some plans are designed to handle a flare-up in a relationship that you want to continue; while other […]

You have a lot of options to bring the situation under control and protect yourself from future incidents of domestic violence. You may decide to end the relationship with your abuser, to restrict contacts, or take some other action. Remember: Only you can make this decision. And no one should refuse to help you because […]

Sometimes victims and survivors who need help are discriminated against – of course, that’s against the law! If you believe a domestic violence service provider discriminated against you, you need to document what happened, including: What was the nature of your request (for example, being admitted to an abuse shelter)? What was the name of […]

A restraining order (sometimes called a “protective order”) can get your partner to stop being verbally abusive. However, research shows that restraining orders are not effective if your partner intends to physically harm you – remember a restraining order is just a piece of paper! And some believe a restraining order can make a situation […]

Most abusive situations do not escalate…but sometimes they do. Be wise and take these steps to keep the situation from getting out of control: Get individual and/or couples counseling. If substance abuse is in the picture, get treatment for alcohol or drug abuse. Try to resolve partner conflicts through counseling or mediation outside the legal […]

When persons fully recover from the pain of domestic violence, they no longer need to think of themselves as “victims” or “survivors.” Many such persons now find themselves wanting to help others who are still feeling pain. Stop Abusive and Violent Environments — SAVE — has created an Online Support Group. The Online Support Group […]

In order to overcome the pain, victims of domestic violence need to move from hurting, to healing, to eventually helping. Some persons have ended the relationship with their abuser and have safety measures in place. But months or years later, they are still “stuck” in their feelings. They are finding it hard to move on […]

Many victims and survivors decide to get help from a professional counselor. Be sure to choose a counselor who is appropriately trained and qualified to help persons with problems like yours. These counselors go by different names and have somewhat different training: Therapists Psychotherapists Psychologists Social workers Certified alcohol and drug counselors Pastoral counselors Psychiatrists [...]