Domestic Violence Awareness Month by Grace Yocum , MSW- Tribal Option Specialty Team Care Manager
“Domestic Violence (DV) is a situation roughly 25% of women and 17% men nation wide experience. October is a time to spread awareness, resources, and spread support for domestic violence survivors. There are several resources that help in supporting DV victims and survivors. Strong Hearts Native Hotline is a vast resource for indigenous communities. This resource helps to understand signs to look for, how to support victims and survivors, offers online chatting, texting, and calling for support of those experiencing domestic violence. By visiting Strong Hearts website, you will have access to information about their advocate services, educational resources, general information, and much more. Strong Hearts Native Helpline number is 1-844-762-8483 and their website is www.strongheartshelpline.org. Another great resource is the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center at www.niwrc.org. With a large selection of resources, they make access to information easy. There are also more general resources such as; The Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for calls and 88788 (text “start”) for texting, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 866-331-9474, and the Deaf Hotline at 855-812-1001 for video phone calls.
There are several types of DV, physical, emotional, sexual, financial, technology-facilitated, sexual coercion, reproductive coercion, stalking, and spiritual. All types are harmful and dangerous. The resources listed above can aid in knowing the signs of each type of DV. There are resources, places, and people who care and are there to help. If you are concerned a person you know may be experiencing abuse, some common signs are, but not limited to; unexplained marks or injuries, depression, anxiety, noticeable changes in personality, constantly worried about making their partner angry, makes excuses for their partner’s behaviors, stops spending time or communicating with friends and/or family, their partner puts them down in front of others, and their partner is extremely jealous or possessive. When supporting someone who is experiencing or has experienced DV it is important to remember that it is best to support them and their decisions and acknowledge that leaving an abusive relationship is not an easy decision. On average, it could take someone 7 attempts to leave an abusive relationship for good. There are several reasons why someone may stay. Being a support person, your instinct may be to “save them” but is not never that simple. You can support the person by understanding how power and control plays a part in abusive relationship and understanding how to help the person affected by DV to shift their power and control back to themselves. Supporting people experiencing or had experienced DV may be emotionally and/or materially. Specific tips on how to support someone and other signs to look for are in the listed resources above.
From Strong Hearts Native Helpline; Healing for seven generations-“Healing is medicine. Every act of courage, every prayer, every moment of connection plants a seed for the future. By health today, we honor our ancestors and protect our descendants. Seven generations from now, may our children’s children look back with pride, knowing we broke the cycles of harm so they could live free.”
