If You Are Being Abused
Violence at the hands of
an intimate partner is scary and degrading. If you are being
abused, or if you know someone who is being abused, your
feelings might range from feeling overwhelmed and helpless
to angry or scared. No one ever deserves to be abused, and
you have a right to feel safe and in control of your life.
Below are some suggestions that other people who have been
in abusive relationships have found useful. Because every
situation is different, some of the ideas below might not
be appropriate or safe for you--but there is help available!
Please feel free to call Spruce Run or the National
Domestic Violence Hotline for free, confidential support 24-hours
a day.
If you are being abused:
1. If you have just been assaulted, get to a safe place and
call for help. For medical emergencies, call 911. For support,
information, and resource referral, Spruce
Run and Rape
Response hotlines are available 24- hours a day.
2. Make a plan to keep yourself safe. This might include alternative
living arrangements, changing locks or your phone number, different
routes to and from classes, etc. You might want to file a police
report and consider obtaining a PFA. Safe
Campus Project or
Spruce
Run can assist you in developing a safety plan that
will work for you.
3. Notify individuals about your situation. Abuse touches
our lives in many ways, some obvious and some not so obvious.
Professors, RAs/RDs, employers, and roommates are some examples
of people who might be able to help you.
4. Get support. You donft have to go through this alone!
Back
to Dating Violence
