CHILDREN’S CRISIS HOTLINE
816-321-7060
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE
816-321-7050800-491-1114
YOUTH CRISIS HOTLINE
816-741-8700888-233-1639
Domestic violence is complex and can involve much more than just physical violence. Abuse can rear its ugly head in many shapes and sizes. For many, there are factors to domestic violence that they might never have associated with the issue. The forms of domestic violence are widespread and not always easy to recognize.
For some abusers, they need to control all aspects of their victim’s life to maintain dominance – including monitoring calls and texts, what clothes to wear, or invading privacy. Emotional and verbal abuse is shown through abusers insulting their victim, gaslighting victims about their own behavior, or threatening rejection.
A common question that gets passed around is often, “but why do women stay?” There are often many compounding reasons.
After long periods of time being told they’re not good enough, victims start to believe it. They believe this is the treatment they deserve and there is no point in leaving. Their distorted reality is hard to break away from.
For many victims, there are children and/or pets in their home that the abuser has threatened to hurt if the woman leaves, so she stays to protect those she loves most.
For many victims, their abuser has isolated them from all their friends and family – leaving them feeling like they have nowhere to turn to.
Ultimately, it all boils down to fear. Fear that the abuser will find them, expose their secrets to the world, or follow through with threats.
These many forms of domestic violence take their toll on victims and it’s not up to anyone to judge why they don’t leave – it’s up to us to offer a safe place to go when they do.