We live in very dangerous times. There is violence in the streets and for some the
violence continues in their home. For far too many women/men, violence and
danger are their constant companions. Despite concerted efforts to eradicate
domestic violence, data indicates that intimate partner violence continues to
pose a clear and present danger to the health and well-being of countless
persons. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), intimate partner violence results in an estimated (1,200) deaths and two (2) million injuries
among women and nearly 600,000 injuries among men annually. Twenty-three (23) percent of women and eleven (11) percent of men aged 18 years or more have a lifetime
history of intimate partner violence victimization.
Indigent young women are more vulnerable to domestic violence than women with more personal resources. Women who are between the ages of 20-24 years old are at the
greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence. Research indicates that
most incidents of domestic violence are not reported to the police. The dearth
of safe, decent, affordable housing causes many poor and some middle income women
to confront the unenviable choice of homelessness or remaining in a home plagued
by violence and turmoil resulting from domestic violence.
Prevention is integral in ending domestic violence. With that understanding, this post discusses the importance of creating a safety plan and where you can find very necessary information on this topic. In addition to reading this post on the importance of a safety plan, I would recommend that you also read my earlier post entitled, ?He Loves
Me?He Loves Me Not?He Loves Me? which discusses the characteristics of both
healthy and unhealthy relationships.
Everyone has a right to be safe. Toward that goal, it is important to create a safety
plan. There are many helpful safety planning websites for adult and teenage
victims of domestic as well as elder abuse victims. If you are in an abusive
relationship, it is particularly important to create a personal safety plan and
to share it with others. Research indicates that if you have been battered in
your present relationship, you should understand that you are never safe.
Perhaps, you may feel that the abuse has ceased and the relationship is
improving because the batterer promised to change. You may even convince
yourself that the abuse will end if you are the ?perfect? partner. Persons who
abuse their partners do not just ?stop? the battering behavior. In fact, research
indicates that often abusive behavior increases over time. The abusive
incidents tend to occur more frequently and the level of violence escalates. As
a result, it is critical to create a safety plan.
Victims of domestic violence do not have control over their partner?s behavior, but they
do have a choice about how to respond. It is very difficult to decide to leave
a relationship and seek safety either with someone they know or in a domestic
violence shelter. It might take several attempts before battered person can
permanently leave. In fact, it has been reported that on average it takes seven
attempts to leave an abusive relationship before the victim elects to leave
permanently. And once they decide that leaving is in their best interest, they
still need to cope with the emotional, physical, and financial issues that
arise. It is strongly recommend that the victim make a safety plan. The safety
plan addresses the victim?s and her/his family?s individual situation and helps
to ensure that if she/he decides to leave that she/he is as safe as she/he can
be and have everything that the person needs.
For detailed information on the creation of a personal safety plan for victims of domestic violence here is a list of a few very helpful websites: www.safehorizon.org;
www.domesticviolence.org; www.thesafespace.org. It is important to be safe
rather than sorry.
Sources: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). www.thehotline.org. www.safehorizon.org; www.domesticviolence.org; www.thesafespace.org. Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
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