Domestic violence: Increase your safety when you leave

Living as a victim of domestic violence can have a lot of effects on your life. You might feel afraid. You might feel helpless. You might think that you can’t do anything about the domestic violence. We want you to know that it is possible to get out of a situation that involves domestic violence.

Domestic violence comes in many forms. While most people think of domestic violence as physical abuse, that is only one form. You might also suffer emotional abuse, financial abuse or sexual abuse. Emotional abuse occurs if your abuser speaks negatively about you, such as telling you that you will never amount to anything. Financial abuse occurs when your abuser takes full control of the finances and leaves you without access to money. Sexual abuse occurs if your abuser takes advantage of you in a sexual way even though you say no.

We know that starting over again is a scary prospect for some people, especially if you are worried about your safety. We can help you learn about ways you can remain safe. We can discuss protective orders or peace orders with you to help you learn how those might help you to stay safe.

You don’t have to remain in an abusive relationship. It is possible to leave an abusive relationship, but you must learn how to do so safely. You shouldn’t risk your safety or your family’s safety. We can help you to get the legal protection you need to get out of the abusive relationship and get started on a new life.