One in four women in the United States – and one in three in Texas – will know domestic violence (DV) during her lifetime. We call domestic violence an equal opportunity epidemic because it affects women of every ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status and neighborhood. You may be unsure if what you’re experiencing is abuse, particularly if physical violence is not currently present. However, physical violence is only one type of abuse: other forms of domestic violence include emotional, verbal, sexual, financial, spiritual and technological. If you feel afraid in your relationship, this can be a strong indicator that abuse is taking place. It is also important to note that abuse escalates; verbal/emotional abuse can and very frequently does escalate into physical violence.

Being abused is not your fault. You are also not responsible for fixing the situation or ending the abuse. However, you do have the right to protect yourself. The following information could be helpful in increasing your safety during and after an abusive relationship. This information is not for everyone. We recognize that every abusive situation is complex and certain ideas listed below may not be of benefit to you. You are the expert of your own situation and we encourage you to listen to your instincts about what feels safe. You don’t have to do this alone – please consider working with an agency like Genesis to create a customized safety plan for your specific circumstances.