IF IN IMMEDIATE DANGER - DIAL 911!
You may also call Women in Safe Homes (WISH) in Ketchikan at 1-800-478-9474 for direct, out-of-town assistance.
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Are You Concerned About Your Relationship?
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- Are you ever afraid of your partner?
- Does your partner tell you what to do and who to see?
- Has your partner ever pushed or hit you, thrown things at you
or forced you to have sex?
- Does your partner threaten to have you deported?
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If you answered "yes" even once, your partner may be abusive.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Abuse happens in every culture, every country and every age group and it may be happening to you. If you are being abused, you may feel frightened, hurt, confused, disappointed, angry, ashamed or hopeless. Your partner might make it worse by blaming you. But no one deserves to be abused or threatened. You cannot stop your partner's abuse, but you can find help and support for yourself.
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Abuse Affects Your Health
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Abuse usually gets worse over time and will eventually have a harmful effect on you. Is your relationship causing any of these problems or making them worse?
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- Anxiety, depression or feeling bad about yourself;
- Sleep problems or feeling tired all the time;
- Physical injuries;
- Inability to pay attention to your children;
- Headaches, back or stomach pains, frequent colds, flus or high blood pressure;
- Eating problems, such as eating to much or not eating at all;
- Sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies from forced sex;
- Substance abuse.
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"It started with his criticism and put-downs.
The verbal abuse expanded to his driving crazy and hitting me" -Julie
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Health Care Providers are Here to Help
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Please let the nurse or doctor know that you are afraid of your partner or that your partner is hurting you. Your health care provider may be able to:
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- Meet with you privately.
- Talk with you about your options.
- Help you find a safe place to stay, counseling, legal help or other services you may need;
- Keep records (including photos) of injuries. These will be useful if you ever decide to go to court for a restraining order or to seek custody of your children.
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You should know that in some states the law requires clinics and hospitals to report certain kind of abuse.
"I really appreciate it when my patients tell me what's going on. I know it's hard to speak up.
But telling the truth is the first step in getting help." -Leigh, Doctor
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Take Action: What You Can Do
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- Talk with someone you trust; a friend or relative, someone from your job or house of worship, someone at a clinic or hospital.
- Put together an "emergency kit" of things you would really need if you had to leave suddenly, such as identification, medicine, keys and money.
- Call the police if you are in danger!
- If you decide to leave take your children with you.
- Remember that you are the expert about your own life. Don't let anyone talk you into doing something that's not right for you.
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"Abuse is the cause of so many of our patients' health problems.
I try to listen and help them find safety." -John, Nurse
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There Is No Excuse For Abuse!
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