Believe her.
"I am so glad you feel comfortable talking to me about this. What is happening in your relationship is not okay and I want to support you as best as I can."
Don’t blame her.
Help her begin to think about safety planning.
Refer her to Genesis.
Continue to provide support.
The abuser seems to have the final say in every decision and she appears reluctant/fearful to give a final answer.
She appears fearful of any sort of confrontation.
She tends to minimize words and/or behaviors in the relationship that seem inappropriate or abusive to you.
One in four women in the United States – and one in three in Texas – will know domestic violence during her lifetime.
On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide. At Genesis, our hotline is answered 24 hours a day. Someone is available anytime day or night to help women find safety, shelter and support.
4.8 million women are victims each year in the United States. We call domestic violence an equal opportunity epidemic because it affects women of every ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status and neighborhood.
These high numbers indicate that most, if not all, of us know someone who has or will experience violence in an intimate relationship. Genesis offers a Friends and Family Group to provide support and guidance. Learn more here.