Tiffany Buschman
Features Editor
For a lot of people, family is a source of comfort and love as well as something to be grateful for. But for some, family is something to be afraid of, that creates a feeling of fear instead of comfort. November is Domestic Violence Awareness Month; which aims to highlight the all too real struggle of spouses and family members who are abused by their fellow family members. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence helps define domestic violence on their website.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s website, “Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, economic, and emotional/psychological abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence varies dramatically.”
Domestic abuse is a large epidemic in the United States with over 10 million victims being exposed to abuse in just one year. The NCADV’s website shares more information on victims of domestic abuse in the United States.
According to NCADV’s website, “On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million.”
Men and women are exposed to abuse from their partner. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence shares specific statistics on men and women experiencing spousal abuse nation wide on their website.
According to NCADV’s website, “One in three women and one in four men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. This includes a range of behaviors such as slapping, shoving and pushing. One in seven women and one in 25 men have been injured by an intimate partner.”
Not only is domestic violence a problem in the nation as a whole, it also is a problem within the state of Oklahoma. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence shares statistics specific to domestic abuse in Oklahoma on their website.
According to NCADV’s website, “40.1 percent of Oklahoma women and 37.8 percent of Oklahoma men experience intimate partner physical violence,
intimate partner rape and/or intimate partner stalking in their lifetimes. In 2019, 37 individuals were victims of intimate partner homicide in Oklahoma.”
With many family members working from home due to the pandemic, the cases of domestic violence within the state have subsequently rose as well.
According to NCADV’s website, “On a single day in 2020, the domestic violence programs reported serving 948 adult and child victims of domestic violence in Oklahoma.”
With domestic violence cases on the rise, one may wonder what they can do to help or victims may be helplessly searching for help in these times. ProjectSafe a non-profit organization located in Shawnee, hopes to help victims of these abusive situations hopefully escape their predicament. ProjectSafe shares some information on what they do on their website.
According to ProjectSafe’s website, “We provide trauma informed services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Our service area is Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties. In 2018, we served over 1,300 clients.”
ProjectSafe also shares a message of encouragement to victims who may or may not be seeking help, to let them know that ProjectSafe can be of assistance to any of their needs.
According to ProjectSafe’s website, “we understand what a confusing time this must be for you: Maybe you are torn by the decision to stay versus leaving. This is not uncommon, and either way we are here to offer you and your family any assistance we can. Or maybe you have already left, but find yourself dealing with the pain or the complications of the relationship. Sometimes it just takes talking to someone who wont judge you, someone to listen to your story and offer support. That’s why we are here, to offer hope for a brighter future for you and your family. Call Project Safe at 1-800-821-9953 with any questions. All of your services are FREE. If we cannot assist you with your requested needs, then we will provide referrals to a community service that may be able to. Please remember that none of this is your fault, and we are here for you. Call us any time at 1-800-821-9953.”
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