Warning Signs

• Feeling drained around them
• Lying/lack of trust/unreliability
• Hostile attitude towards you (especially if it’s reoccurring)
• Dependency
• Judgement/belittling/disrespect
• Lack of communication/avoidance
• You have no free will/control
• Unstable (cycle of feeling hurt, then making up, and getting hurt again)
• Selflessness/feeling unworthy
• Don’t ever feel sure of yourself
• Power imbalance (age differences, career/income, fame, privilages)

Impacts of Abuse

Physical

• Physical injuries
• Long-term health problems
• Death
• Unwanted pregnancy
• Unsafe abortion
• Transmition of STDs
• Pregnancy complications
• Vaginal bleeding
• Urinary and pelvic infections
• Sexual dysfunction

Mental

• Depression
• Sleeping and eating disorders
• Stress and anxiety disorders
• Self-harm/suicide
• Poor self-esteem
• Alcohol/substance abuse
• Choosing abusive partners later in life
• Lower rates of contraceotive use

Statistics

• More than 10 million adults experience domestic violence annually
• On a typical day, domestic violence hotlines receive over 19,000 calls
• 1 in 3 women (35.6%) and 1 in 4 men (28.5%) report having experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime
• 1 in 5 female victims and 1 in 20 male victims need medical care
• 1 in 5 female victims and 1 in 9 male victims need legal services
• Intimate partner violence is most common against women between the ages of 18-24
• Out of every 1,000 sexual assualts, 310 are reported to police, 50 reports lead to arrest, 28 cases will lead to felony conviction, and 25 perpetrators will be incarcerated
• College-age female students report 20% of assaults, college-age female non-students report 32%, the elderly report 28%, female military members report 43%, and male military members report 10%

How to Help Someone in an Abusive Relationship

• Set up safe safe and confidential times to talk
• Let them know you’re there for them
• Help in any way you can
• Offer help from organizations or hotlines
• Help them make a safety plan
• Believe them, and support them

Abuse Hotlines:

Sources