The following blog post was written by Allison Cohen, Deputy Director of Communications for our office.
October is Domestic Violence
Awareness Month, and unfortunately this is an issue that many families continue
to deal with. One in three women and one in four men are survivors of domestic
violence. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior that occurs
between family members and/or intimate partners to gain power and control. Many
people think domestic violence is only physical abuse, but it can take the form
of psychological, sexual or economic abuse as well.
Recently, the numbers of
reported domestic violence incidents have been on the rise in our borough.
While more and more people are reporting these issues, others are still afraid
to seek help due to a myriad of circumstances. There is no shame in being in
this situation, and help is always available if you need it.
A healthy relationship is one
where both partners treat each other equally, respectfully and supportively. It
is important to be aware of indicators that your relationship is becoming unhealthy
and abusive. Some common signs of this type of relationship are when your
intimate partner:
- Accuses you of cheating
and being disloyal
- Makes you feel worthless
- Hurts you by hitting,
choking or kicking you
- Intimidates and
threatens to hurt you or someone you love
- Threatens to hurt
themselves if they don’t get what they want
- Tries to control what
you do and who you see
- Isolates you from your
family and friends
- Pressures or forces you
into unwanted sex
- Controls your access to
money
- Stalks you, including calling you constantly or following you
If you are in an abusive
relationship or suspect that someone you know is in one, you should know that
you are not alone and that there are resources on Staten Island to help you.
One of these resources is the
Staten Island Family Justice Center, located at 126 Stuyvesant Place, which
opened earlier this year. The Family Justice Center provides free criminal
justice, civil legal and social services all in one central location. Victims
can meet with a prosecutor, speak with a trained counselor and apply for
housing and financial assistance in one place. Children age three and up can
play in a children’s room while their parents receive services.
The center is open Monday to
Friday from 9am-5pm. No appointment is necessary; if you prefer to call, the
center can be reached at 718-697-4300.
In addition, anyone can call
the Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7 at 1-800-621-HOPE.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For more information about services
available to domestic violence victims, visit http://www.nyc.gov/html/ocdv/html/home/home.shtml