Domestic Violence

What is domestic violence? Domestic violence is repeated abuse by someone with whom you usually live. While we tend to think of physical violence, abuse can also include emotional abuse, isolation, sexual abuse, intimidation, and threats. Women are the victims of domestic violence in approximately 95% of the cases, but men can be victims as well. Elders can be abused by adult children, or siblings can be abused by other siblings. Let's Talk About Kinds of Domestic Violence... When giving a presentation to a group about the SOS Shelter, questions are always asked about the various forms of domestic violence.    Education on the various forms of abuse and domestic violence is needed at all ages for a preventative approach to ending domestic violence.  That is why it is so important to define "domestic violence". Domestic violence is repeated abuse from someone you have an intimate relationship  with.   As you can see, this definition covers many different situations. It could be an elder parent abused by one of his/ her adult children. It could be abuse from a partner of the same sex. It could be a young woman abused by a father, mother, step-parent, or sibling. It could be an adult woman abused by a parent or relative in the home. And of course, it could be a spousal or co-hab situation. We are a shelter for women and children who are in crisis because of domestic violence in the home. We house elderly women abused by adult children; girls who are 16 and older abused at home, women abused in same sex relationships.  Various types of abuse are:  verbal, the most common form of abuse used in conjunction with all other forms (yelling, screaming, name calling, disrespectful statements), emotional (disrespectful statements with intent of causing you to feel sad, hurt, incapable), sexual (forced sex, causing you to perform unwanted acts of any kind), psychological (statements or actions that affect your mental condition, causing you to question your mental capacity or confuse your rational, damaging behavior with intent to cause mental suffering), physical (hitting, choking, kicking, pulling hair, shoving, pushing, causing physical harm with objects - lighters, sticks, household objects, any method of causing physical pain and injury) financial (controlling your money, taking your money, spending money on things outside of bills, causing collection problems or financial burdens, not allowing you to have money to spend)    If you are in an unhealthy relationship and would like to talk to someone about it, call 607-754-4340 - anytime.  We will be there to talk to you and offer some suggestions, give referrals or offer our support.  You are never alone, SOS Shelter is here for YOU.