Domestic violence is a pattern of controlling behaviors where one person uses their power to control the other. While frequency and severity can vary dramatically in each situation, one consistent component is abusers will try to maintain power and control over their partner. It is not isolated to any one gender, race, economic situation, or upbringing. Domestic violence can be hard to identify because it can take many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse.
The problem is real and so are its effects on our community. Every year in Arizona we see about 100 fatalities due to domestic violence, these are not limited to those involved directly in the violence but include bystanders who tried to intervene and first responders. A 2017 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that almost 40% of people in Arizona had been subject to domestic abuse.
Some of the best ways to help fight the issue of Violence are promoting awareness to our community and increasing the visibility of local resources for victims.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The month of October is dedicated to Domestic Violence Awareness and raising awareness nationally about this issue. Created more than 30 years ago, this four week period focuses on three main goals; to celebrate those who have survived abuse, mourn those who have died because of domestic violence and work toward ending the violence.
In 2018, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is partnered with New Life Center to help specially promote awareness about the danger domestic violence poses to children even if they are not directly targeted by the abuser.
In Arizona, every 44 minutes one or more children are witnesses to domestic violence. These children can come to view domestic violence as normal and are at a higher risk of becoming the next generation of abusers and victims. Contact us
The Facts
- 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the US. During one year this equates to more than 10 million victims.
- 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
- 1 in 3 female murder victims and 1 in 20 male murder victims are killed by an intimate partner.
- Every 44 minutes in Arizona, one or more children witness domestic violence.
- More than 40% of the victims delay leaving a dangerous situation because they fear for their pet’s safety and don’t have a safe place to take them.
- Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, or other abusive behavior as a part of a systematic pattern of power and control by one partner against another.
- Domestic violence includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. While frequency and severity can vary dramatically in each situation, one consistent component is abusers will try to maintain power and control over their partner.