How to Prevent Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a serious crime that thrives on the use of emotional, psychological and physical abuse to control and isolate the victim. It is enacted by both men and women across all socioeconomic classes, ethnicity, culture and race. Domestic violence is often fueled by stress, substance abuse and repeating the cycle of learned behavior. Children that witness domestic violence suffer and have the haunting memories to live with. Domestic violence can end in serious injury and death. Because of the seriousness of this crime, it is extremely important that we learn how to prevent domestic violence.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Teach and educate about domestic violence. This can be most effective by educating young people to help them understand that violence is never an acceptable behavior.
2. Promote domestic violence awareness. When people become aware of the statistics and effects domestic violence has on lives and communities, it keeps the issue alive and important.
3. Speak out against domestic violence. Talking about the seriousness of domestic violence amongst friends, family and other community members also helps to keep the importance out there.
4. Take a stand against entertainment, music and jokes that might trivialize domestic violence. Also, stand up against comments that blame the victim.
5. Organize fundraisers to support the local efforts behind domestic violence prevention and awareness. The better funded the programs are, the more reach they can have.
6. Encourage communities to establish centers for domestic violence. Those that are being domestically abused will go get help when they know that it is readily available.
7. Support local laws and legislation aimed at supporting and protecting against domestic violence. When stricter laws and legislation are in play, abusers tend to think twice, while those that have been abused feel more secure with turning to law enforcement for help.
8. Demand that local social service workers and law enforcement is properly trained in domestic violence. For many years, women who were domestically abused refrained from reporting it or seeking out help because they were often re-victimized by those same people that were supposed to help them.
9. Volunteer with domestic violence organizations. Many of these programs that are aimed at assisting domestic abuse victims are poorly funded and can use all the help they can get. Plus, it can be a positive way to give back to the community while reaching out and touching the life of someone in need.
10. Support the development of after care programs aimed at assisting the psychological needs of families and individuals that lived through domestic abuse.
11. Report suspicions of domestic violence to the proper authorities. Domestic violence is still a very secret crime, and it often sits silently within any given home in any given neighborhood. Sometimes, it takes that one person to make that call and report the suspicion to help a person out of a situation they may not be able to get out of on their own.

Tips & Warnings

• It is unfortunate that most of domestic violence prevention begins after the violence has started. However, it cannot be reiterated enough that teaching young children that violence is not a way to handle anger and emotions, will go a long way in preventing violent behavior when they become teens and adults.
• Remember, the longer a person stays in a domestically violent relationship, the harder it becomes to get out. Also, when children are witness to the behavior it can pattern their future behaviors. Meaning, little girls that watch their mommy get abused often wind up being abused, while little boys identify with their daddy and grow up to emulate the way their daddy treated their mommy.