phone number: 970-529-6326
city and state: dolores, co
sender email: [email protected]
subject: domestic violence.
message:
Dear Editor, "Helping a friend or family member living with domestic violence takes love, patience and the ability to recognize clear indicators of abuse", Natalie Petitto, eHow Contributor. Instructions; Paraphrased from The National Domestic Violence Hotline. 1) Recognize the signs of violence and offer emotional support to the victim. Tell a friend that s/he does not deserve to be abused and that s/he has your continued love and support. Offer a safe haven or be part of their safety plan. One of the most common reasons for staying with an abusive partner is having no other place to go. 2) If you witness dv, report it to your local police department. Many victims do not report due to fear of public humiliation and further instances of abuse. (Often times the abuser is a valued member of the community, and people find it hard to believe). Not reporting dv not only endangers victims, but also the people around them, including their children. Just witnessing or listening to dv has devastating consequences on children. 73% of dv victims do not report abuse for fear of Child Protective Services interference. DV is one of the main causes of physical/verbal abuse in young children and homelessness for women and their children. Women who suffer from battered women's syndrome often grew up in emotionally abusive homes and suffered from sexual or physical abuse from family members. Usually not reported by the victim due to shame or fear of further abuse. 3) Get involved by contacting your local domestic violence shelter. RENEW 24/7 hotline 970-565-2100, office # 970-565-4886. You can help by raising awareness, money, or donate useful household items to the thrift store in Dolores, help support or create a fund raiser for the shelter. We can always use gas cards to get our clients to a safer place if the abuser continues to stalk the survivor and his/her family. Thank you for your continued support. Lisa G. Henry
