October Newsletter
Love is… Respect, Equality, Safety, and Trust
The release of the movie based on Colleen Hoover’s bestseller It Ends With Us has thrust domestic violence into the forefront… for now. This hidden epidemic is still affecting millions of individuals, but it continues to be shrouded in secrecy, shame, and guilt.
Survivors of domestic violence are at a greater risk for mental health and substance use concerns. But the correlation between the two is complicated. For one, being a victim of domestic violence is associated with an increased risk for depression, suicide, and posttraumatic stress disorder. On the other hand, women with mental health concerns are more likely to experience domestic violence.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is the most prevalent form of violence against women; it can include physical or sexual violence, stalking, or psychological aggression, which is the use of verbal and non-verbal communication with the intent to harm a partner mentally or emotionally - or to exert control. The majority of women and men who experience IPV report that they experienced it the first time before age 18. When IPV occurs in adolescence, it is commonly referred to as teen dating violence.
IPV is preventable; and requires an understanding of what constitutes healthy and respectful relationships. According to Love is Respect, a healthy relationship is shaped by R.E.S.T. - respect, equality, safety, and trust. But teens and preteens may not know the warning signs or how to set boundaries or even when the line between romantic and unhealthy becomes blurred. The good news is that there are resources available to help them.
GET HELP NOW
Services to Abused Families
1-800-825-8876 (safejourneys.org)
Provides shelter, support, and advocate to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. SAFE serves Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock.
Fauquier County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Advocacy
24-HOUR HELP LINE: 540-422-8460
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text “START” to 88788 or chat live (thehotline.org)
Love is Respect
1-866-331-9474 or text LOVEIS to 22522 (loveisrespect.org)
National resource and project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Their website highlights warning signs of abuse, quizzes to help teens gauge the health of their relationship, stories from survivors of teen dating violence, and so much more.
