7 Easy Things You Can Do to Help Prevent Domestic Violence!
These small steps you can take to help prevent domestic violence are actually huge leaps!
Sometimes, it seems overwhelming to take on the task of “ending violence” or “stopping domestic violence”. It doesn’t SOUND easy, and in reality, it’s not!
Truly ending domestic violence is a huge task that must be taken on by many people who are dedicated to the cause. It’s not an easy job, but there ARE lots of things you can do to aid in preventing it.
All of these simple things listed below ultimately lead to helping change the culture of domestic violence, which is the goal in changing violent & abusive actions.
And good news – YOU can be a change maker in this fight!
Yes, you! Even if you’re not an advocate, service provider, directly involved in the prevention world, or don’t had a single lick of experience in this area, you can help!
But how? You may be asking. Well, read on…
Here are 7 things you can do to help prevent domestic violence!
1. KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & ABUSE
This is probably one of the most useful steps you can take! It’s difficult to prevent & respond to DV & abuse without knowing what it may look like in real life, so get educated on common domestic violence warning signs.
Remember – domestic violence is a pattern of power & control. Need a breakdown on DV Basics? Download our DV101 infographic here! For more information on the various types of domestic violence, check out this article from the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW).
If you need some more resources to get you started, these warning signs from Women’s Advocate’s provide a good baseline for common warning signs in your own or in others relationships. NNEDV also has great information on red flags of abuse – check them out!
Another form of abuse that often goes unnoticed is coercive control, which is about manipulation & intimidation tactics that perpetrators may use.
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2. PROMOTE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS & RESPECT BY SETTING GOOD EXAMPLES THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS
It’s important to note that through how you behave, communicate, & respond to others can perpetuate violence in our culture. But what does this mean?
To set good examples for others, it means showing others love, kindness, & care! In your relationships with others, practice good communication & respect boundaries. By doing this, others will see the good example you set & may begin to practice similar behaviors.
In fact, you can start early and teach youth about healthy boundaries! Teaching consent to youth can be as simple as showing the importance of respecting when someone says “yes” or “no”. These impactful lessons will last a lifetime.
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3. SHARE RESOURCES & INFO ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE / INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE TO HELP EDUCATE YOUR COMMUNITY
Not sure where to share? You can start with social media!
Sharing resources & information you see to your story, page, or feed can be so impactful. You never know who may find some life-saving information.
So next time you see a post about safety plans for survivors or warning signs of abuse, take a few seconds to share to your story or retweet!
Of course, if you have the time, space, & resources to pass out print material at local places such as coffee shops, libraries, or community centers, go for it!
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4. TAKE TIME FOR SELF-CARE TO BETTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
You may be wondering, “Why is MY mental health important in preventing domestic violence?”
Well, it’s because this information can be taxing! Trust me, we at DVN know the importance of self-care in this space.
While it’s important to educate yourself & others, it’s also important to recognize when you need to take a step back for a moment. If you’re anything like me, you can’t always give 100% – and that’s perfectly normal!
No one is superhuman. When the work is to much & you start to feel burnt-out, please take the time & space to check in on yourself. Everyone deserves that!
Then you can get back to it with even more fervor!
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5. RESPECT, BELIEVE, VALIDATE, & LISTEN TO VICTIMS & SURVIVORS WHOLEHEARTEDLY
This one SHOULD be easy!
But, in a world of victim-blaming that is much too prevalent, not only should we believe survivors, but we must actively voice our encouragement & support! The stigma surrounding victims speaking up needs to be put to rest.
Survivors & victims at the baseline deserve respect, love, & care. That starts with the simple phrase, “I believe you.”
There may be a circumstance when signs point to a loved one possibly being abused, but they aren’t talking. To start, remember that abuse is NEVER the victim’s fault, & there are so many barriers to speaking up.
And start here if you need advice on how & when to bring up possible abuse to a loved one.
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6. WORK TO HOLD YOURSELF & OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR BEHAVIORS & ATTITUDES THAT PERPETRATE VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES
You should be promoting respect & consent in all spaces! That means not excusing poor “jokes” or statements that stigmatize abuse or look down on victims. (Next time your uncle tells an off-color joke at the dinner table – say something! Or, at least, don’t laugh!)
An example of being accountable for working to change towards a culture of respect is the Little Mermaid’s lyric changes of “Kiss the Girl” in the 2023 live-action adaptation.
This also means actively working on dismantling racist, homophobic, & overall hateful beliefs & stigmas. Did you know that domestic violence disproportionately affects Black & African American women as well as the LGBTQIA+ community? Well, now you do!
You can work on taking in new material that will help you disrupt deep-seated hateful beliefs that look to continue to cause harm to minority communities, such as books, seminars, videos, articles, training sessions, & more.
We at DVN offer various types of training, both in-person and online, to adults & youth. We also have different events that work to target important topics & include often left-out communities, like our upcoming Book Club (if you’re located in Indianapolis, why not join?) and our Community Wide Plan (CWP) events.
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7. FOLLOW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NETWORK (DVN) SO YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & WORK TOWARDS A FUTURE FREE OF VIOLENCE
Get involved, involved, involved!
Whether that’s with DVN or with another organization/service provider, join in! Through your time, talent, donation, or even just re-sharing information, you will be a huge help.
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So – did you get an idea of how YOU can help prevent domestic violence? I hope so!
Here’s a quick idea: search for and follow a few domestic violence organizations on social media or sign up for a newsletter! You can start with DVN!
And remember, you don’t have to do all of these things at once. Start with just one & try to incorporate it into your week somehow.
YOU can be a leader in changing the culture that leads to domestic violence.
By Becca Schroeder (she/her)
DVN Marketing Specialist
Sources: DVN, LCADV, Futures Without Violence, OVW, NNEDV, Women’s Advocate’s