The effects of domestic violence are global, but the stories are personal. See how others have been affected by domestic violence in our Domestic Violence video series.

Domestic Violence is a violent confrontation between family or household members involving physical harm, sexual assault, or fear of physical harm. Family or household members include spouses / former spouses, those in (or formerly in) a dating relationship, adults related by blood or marriage, and those who have a biological or legal parent-child relationship.

The batterer uses acts of violence and a series of behaviors, including intimidation, threats, psychological abuse, and isolation to coerce and to control the other person. The violence may not happen often, but may remain a hidden and constant terrorizing factor. Domestic violence is not only physical and sexual violence but also psychological. Psychological violence means intense and repetitive degradation, creating isolation, and controlling the actions or behaviors of the spouse through intimidation or manipulation to the detriment of the individual.

Domestic violence destroys the home. That’s why education is so important. It is the best defense against domestic violence – from identifying the signs, to understanding the cycle of abuse and the behavior of both the abuser and the victim. Only through understanding and education can we help families affected by Domestic Violence to fight back.