Battered Women's Shelter of Summit & Medina Counties Peace Begins at Home Many times, people deal with the effects of domestic violence and never know what it really is. The following statistics are provided for your information to see if what you are dealing with really is domestic violence and if you or your family is at risk. ARE YOU BEING ABUSED? Ask yourself the following questions if you feel uncomfortable in your relationship. Has your partner used any kind of negative physical contact against you? Are you afraid of what he or she could do if he or she got angry? Does he or she discourage you from spending time with family or friends? Does he or she track all of your time? Are you afraid to disagree with him or her? Do you excuse his or her behavior by saying, "He didn't mean it" or "I deserved it"? Do you get blamed for everything that goes wrong? Does he or she make you feel bad about yourself? Does he or she hit, shove, slap, kick or restrain you? Does he or she threaten to kill him or herself if you break up? Does he or she get angry when drinking or taking drugs? If you answered yes to any of these questions, keep in mind that abuse will usually get worse over time, not better. There is help available. Please call The Battered Women's Shelter 24-hr hotline. Summit: 330-374-1111 or 1-888-395-4357 Medina: 330-723-3900 or 1-877-414-1344 Recognizing Abuse in Relationships Do you think a friend or family member is in an abusive relationship? Here are some signs that may indicate an abusive relationship. 1. When she and her husband or boyfriend are together, he acts very controlling and puts her down in front of others. 2. He acts extremely jealous of others who pay attention to her, especially men. 3. She becomes quiet when he is around and seems afraid of making him angry. 4. She stops seeing her friends and family members, becoming more and more isolated. 5. She often cancels plans at the last minute. 6. He controls her finances, her behavior and even with whom she socializes. 7. You see him violently lose his temper, striking or breaking objects. 8. She often has unexplained injuries, or the explanations don't quite add up. (Sometimes you won't see any bruises, as batterers target their blows to areas that can be covered with clothing.) 9. She has casually mentioned his violent behavior but laughed it off as a joke. 10. Her children are frequently upset or very quiet and withdrawn and won't say why. Battered Women's Statistics for the United States Females and/or males can be victims of domestic violence. The FBI estimates a woman is battered in the United States every 15 seconds. 60% of battered women are beaten while pregnant, often in the stomach. 70% of those who batter their wives physically or sexually abuse their children. Domestic violence is the single major cause of injury to women. 30% of female homicides are caused by their husbands or boyfriends. Yearly, 2 million children are beaten by a family member. 19% of all elderly persons are beaten each year by their spouses. Battered Women's Shelter of Summit & Medina Counties 759 W. Market St. 740 Washington St. Akron, Ohio 44303 Medina, Ohio 44256 Fax 330-374-0119 Toll-free Crisis Hotline (24 Hours): Summit County 1-888-395-HELP (4357) Medina County 1-877-414-1344 Summit County Business Line : 330-374-0740 Summit County Crisis Line: 330-374-1111 Medina County Crisis Line: 330-723-3900 Medina County Business Line: 330-723-9610 Wadsworth Local: 330-336-6657 x9610 Brunswick Local: 330-225-7100 x9610 Emergency assistance anywhere: 911 |
