Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

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General Info

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I Need Help

Help is available at DVSAS. If you need help right away you can call one of our crisis numbers on the right of the page. We offer a 24-hour crisis line with trained advocates who can answer questions about your relationship and what domestic violence looks like. You are not alone.

If you have been raped we can help you too. If you are in danger now you may need to call 911 for immediate help. Direct Services and Prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault are at the heart of DVSAS and is critical to the families who live in San Juan County.

The US Department of Justice reports that approximately 95% of the victims of domestic violence are women. However, violence also happens in both gay and lesbian relationship and a small number of cases, by women against men.

If you know of someone or you are in danger there is help available to walk you through the tough times. DVSAS offers free and confidential services to victims and their children of domestic violence and sexual assault and sexual abuse.

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence is a “pattern” of assaultive and coercive behaviors, including physical, sexual, and psychological attacks as well as economic coercion that adults or adolescents used against their intimate partners.

For example:

Behaviors perpetrated by adults or adolescents against their partner; in prior or current dating, married, or cohabitating relationships of heterosexuals, gays and lesbians.
Pattern of coercion/domination/punishment, direct at achieving compliance from or control over the victim.
Range of behaviors; some physically injurious and some not; some criminal and some not.
Sexual assault: pressured sex, coerced sex or forced sex.
Psychological assaults: threats of violence against victim, others or self, attacks against property/pets and other intimidating acts; emotional abuse, targeting specific issues to repeatedly attack, humiliate or degrade, isolation of victim and use of children.

The kinds of physical and mental abuse associated with domestic violence are often shown as a Power and Control Wheel. To see the wheel, click the appropriate link to the right.

Facts…

95% of domestic violence victims are women.
Over _ of all relationships have experienced at least on incident of domestic violence.
Every year, 3-4 million women are beaten by their partners.
In most cases of domestic violence, the children are also abused, physically and/or emotionally.
One million elderly people are abused by their children or caretakers every year.

Intervention…

Statistics show that victims who do not report incidents of violence are twice as likely to be assaulted again.
Children who witness domestic violence may become future batterers or victims.

Call us, we can help.

It's free and confidential.

Teen Advocate

County-Wide (360) 376-5979

24 Hour Crisis Line

Orcas Island (360) 376-1234

San Juan Island (360) 378-2345

Lopez Island (360) 468-4567

Fact…

A woman is beaten by her husband every 15 seconds.

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