DVIP Awareness: physical abuse is still about control

IOWA — October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and The Southeast Iowa Union is partnering with the Domestic Violence Intervention Program to share victim-survivor stories.

The following is a true narrative from a survivor-victim of physical abuse. The name has been changed to protect their identity.

In the past year, the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) has served over 2415 individuals and provided more than 17,920 nights of safety to victim-survivors in Southeastern Iowa.

Intimate partner abuse affects all aspects of an individual's life.

When the abuse becomes physical the risk to the victim-survivor becomes even greater.

For many victims when the abuse escalates, they are forced to reach out for support and emergency shelter in order to stay alive.

Sasha was physically abused a number of times over the past five years by her boyfriend.

He previously broke her arm, strangled her, fractured her left cheekbone, and threatened to kill her.

Her situation became more dangerous this past winter. She was physically thrown out of the house in below-freezing temperatures and suffered a concussion from hitting her head on the sidewalk.

Sasha walked to a nearby gas station and called for help.

Once in the emergency room she was connected with a DVIP advocate and developed a plan to leave their small farming community and seek refuge in the DVIP emergency shelter.

Seeking safety was terrifying as she had no one in her life that she trusted to believe her and no support systems to lean on due to the isolation and control he had over her.

Safety planning with our advocates and providing individuals with “911” phones are vital parts of the work that our advocates do every day.

Sasha’s story is not unique.

Physical Abuse

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), physical abuse includes the physical assault, battery, and sexual assault used for power and control by one intimate partner against another.

Physical abuse can cause severe injury and even death. It often co-occurs with other forms of abuse, including psychological abuse, economic abuse, and stalking.

Examples of physical abuse include but are not limited to:

Hitting, slapping, punching, kicking, hair pulling

Rough handling

Scalding and burning

Making someone purposefully uncomfortable (such as opening a window and removing blankets)

Involuntary isolation or confinement

Misuse of medication

Force-feeding or withholding food

Strangulation

Damaging personal property

Refusing medical care and/or controlling medication

Coercing partner into substance abuse

Use of weapons

Some signs of physical abuse include:

Black eyes

Bruises on the arms

Busted lips

Red or purple marks on the neck

Sprained wrists

Wearing clothes to cover-up despite weather

Wearing heavier than normal makeup

Wearing sunglasses inside

Statistic of Physical Domestic Violence

According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence CDC report, on average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence states that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men is a victim of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetimes

During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.

76% of these victims are female; 24% are male.

For the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, the danger that victim-survivors face is increasing:

34% of victims were strangled (a 3% increase from last year)

37% of victims reported a weapon being used during their abuse (a 5% increase over last year)

34% of victims reported their abuser threatened to kill them

41% of victims were stalked after ending the relationship with their abuser (10% increase over last year)

98% of victim-survivors reported feeling safer because of working with DVIP (a 2% increase over last year)

Contact the Domestic Violence Intervention Program with questions and concerns via phone: 1-800-799-SAFE or 1-800-373-1043 or by texting “Start” to 88788

More resources are also found at www.thehotline.org

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com