Domestic Violence
The term “domestic violence” includes felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction (US Dept of Justice).
BRIEF SUMMARY
The term “domestic violence” includes felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction (US Dept of Justice).
KEY POINTS
- In an emergency, victims of domestic violence should call 911 or contact state or local law enforcement officials, who can respond to these crimes. Individuals in need of non-emergency assistance can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit www.TheHotline.org
RESOURCES
- Helping Children Cope with Violence and Trauma: A School-Based Program that Works (RAND Center for Domestic and International Health Security, 2005) [gdrts_stars_rating type=”counselor1stop.resources” id= 22018 ]
- Helping Traumatized Children Learn (Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative, a collaboration of Massachusetts Advocates for Children and Harvard Law School) [gdrts_stars_rating type=”counselor1stop.resources” id= 22109 ]
- Domestic Violence and Children: A Handbook for Schools and Early Years Settings by Abigail Sterne [gdrts_stars_rating type=”counselor1stop.resources” id= 22110 ]
SHARED WISDOM
- Once violence begins, it will usually continue and get worse over time. No matter how often the abuse happens, the victim of domestic violence suffers constant terror and stress, living in fear of the next episode.
- While women are most commonly the victims of their male partners, domestic violence can happen between all sorts of people and in all sorts of relationships.
CONTENT FEEDBACK
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