Safe shelters for victims who choose to leave their abusive
partners are usually available either on the installation or in the civilian
community. Shelters are intended to provide a short-term safe haven for domestic
violence victims and their children. Counseling and other support services are
available to assist victims in developing a longer-term plan to ensure their
safety and the safety of their children.
Get Help Anywhere in the United
States
If there is something about your relationship that scares you, call
the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233). Someone is
available at all times to listen and provide information to help you get
safe. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) is a nationwide
resource available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All calls to NDVH are
anonymous and translation is available for over 140 languages. Hotline Advocates
have access to over 4800 resources nationwide and are able to connect callers to
the services and programs available in their area.
Are
You in an Abusive Relationship? Relationship Quiz
Does your
partner:
Act extremely jealous of others who pay attention to you, or use
jealousy to justify his/her actions?
Control your finances, behavior and even
whom you socialize with?
Make you afraid by using looks, actions, and
gestures like smashing things, destroying your property or displaying
weapons?
Threaten to kill you or commit suicide?
Make all the
decisions?
Stop you from seeing or talking to friends, family or limits your
outside involvement?
Act like the abuse is no big deal, it's your fault or
even deny doing it?
Threatens to kill your pets?
Puts you down in front of
other people, humiliates you, plays mind games and makes you feel as if you are
crazy?
Prevents you from getting or keeping a job?
Takes your money or
does not let you know about or have access to the family income?
Threatens to
take the children away?
Do you:
Become quiet when he/she is around
and feel afraid of making him/her angry?
Cancel plans at the last
minute?
Stop seeing your friends and family members, becoming more and more
isolated?
Find yourself explaining bruises to family or friends?
If
you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be involved in a
relationship that is physically, emotionally or sexually abusive.
You may
be in an emotionally abusive relationship if your partner:
Calls you names,
insults you or continually criticizes you.
Does not trust you and acts
jealous or possessive.
Tries to isolate you from family or
friends.
Monitors where you go, who you call and who you spend time
with.
Does not want you to work.
Controls finances or refuses to share
money.
Punishes you by withholding affection.
Expects you to ask
permission.
Threatens to hurt you, the children, your family or your
pets.
Humiliates you in any way.
You may be in a physically abusive
relationship if your partner has ever:
Damaged property when angry (thrown
objects, punched walls, kicked doors, etc.).
Pushed, slapped, bitten, kicked
or choked you.
Abandoned you in a dangerous or unfamiliar place.
Scared
you by driving recklessly.
Used a weapon to threaten or hurt you.
Forced
you to leave your home.
Trapped you in your home or kept you from
leaving.
Prevented you from calling police or seeking medical
attention.
Hurt your children.
Used physical force in sexual situations.
You may be in a sexually abusive relationship if your partner:
Views
women as objects and believes in rigid gender roles.
Accuses you of cheating
or is often jealous of your outside relationships.
Wants you to dress in a
sexual way.
Insults you in sexual ways or calls you sexual names.
Has ever
forced or manipulated you into to having sex or performing sexual acts.
Held
you down during sex.
Demanded sex when you were sick, tired or after beating
you.
Hurt you with weapons or objects during sex.
Involved other people in
sexual activities with you.
Ignored your feelings regarding sex.
Children's Home Society of Florida (Western Division)
Children's Home
Society/Child Protection Team at
850.872.4726 or 850.777.4726