NCJ Number
193739
Date Published
2000
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This booklet provides information on safety and protection for domestic violence victims in Los Angeles County, California.
Abstract
There are over 3 million incidents of domestic violence every year in the United States. Every year 4,000 victims of domestic violence are killed. The majority of domestic violence victims are women. The Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24 hours a day. The professionals that answer the hotline can provide information about available services, thinking through options, and finding temporary shelter. Services are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Los Angeles County funds 24 Domestic Violence Shelters. They are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These shelters offer temporary emergency shelter for victims and their children; transportation to shelters, with law enforcement back-up; individual and group counseling; legal, medical, financial, child care, and employment services referrals; children’s programs; food, clothing, and household articles to help set up a new household; and drop-in centers for victims who need support services. Batterers want to control their domestic partners through fear. They do this by regularly abusing them physically, sexually, psychologically, and economically. Some forms that domestic violence can take are physical and verbal abuse, sexual violence, isolation, and coercion. Other forms of domestic violence are harassment, economic control, abusing trust, threats and intimidation, emotional withholding, destruction of property, and self-destructive behavior. Some myths of domestic violence include: (1) it only happens in poor families; (2) the abuse is going to stop if the batterer is truly sorry and promises to stop; and (3) victims in some way encourage the abuse. Abusers typically have short fuses, deny that the abuse has occurred, and blame the victims. Safety measures are provided for while the victim is in a relationship with an abuser, and after the victim has left the relationship.