October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to have important and sometimes difficult conversations about abuse and its many forms. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Domestic violence includes physical, emotional, or verbal abuse, leading to victims feeling trapped and afraid. Together, we must provide tools and resources to empower both women and men to recognize their options and help them get out. This week on Fox17, Dr. Bitner discusses concepts of domestic violence and shares valuable resources.
Your home should be a safe space. Your home includes your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, and any other spaces in your house. An abusive domestic or intimate partner threatens the safety and emotional well-being of people in their safe space. Work and school environments can be challenging, and walking into your home should provide daily relief from outside stressors. If you feel like your home is a place where you have to keep up your guard or worry about your or your children’s wellbeing, it’s important to examine why.
Reasons why people stay in abusive relationships:
It’s time to get help. Although it may feel like the scariest decision you’ll ever make, it can be the best choice of your life. Surrounding yourself with a support system and confiding in others can provide the strength needed to leave an unhealthy situation. If a support system isn’t an option for you, there are resources and people ready to help you find a way out. They can connect you with communities of people who share similar experiences and access the support needed to build a life outside of that relationship. You and your family deserve happiness, and there is hope.
Resources:
Jane, 36, was married with two children and had a job she loved. No one knew that she dreaded going home and felt trapped. Her husband would get triggered by minor things and be filled with rage. He would call Jane awful names, threaten divorce in front of their kids, break things, and tell everyone it was their fault he had to get so upset. Jane did her best to calm her husband down, comfort her children, and hide it from friends and family. But she was miserable and didn’t know where to start.
Jane began therapy and learned why she was afraid. She became empowered to decide what kind of life she wanted for her children and herself. She was scared but knew she had to take this next step. Jane and her kids developed a safe exit strategy and moved into her parents’ house for six months. She eventually was able to move into a small house away from her husband. Years later, Jane and the kids are grateful they can walk into their home, knowing they are safe and can relax.
At true., we are dedicated to empowering everyone to find their voice because you deserve a brighter future. You deserve to be treated as an equal and with love and respect. You never deserve to be put down, belittled, hurt emotionally or physically, or be made to feel less than. Own your power and take care of yourself. What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
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