What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of abusive behavior in a relationship, where one intimate partner uses violence to gain and/or maintain power and control over another.
~U.S. Department of Justice

It may include patterns of abuse to establish or maintain power and control within intimate relationships.

Domestic Violence May Include

Physical Abuse

    • Slapping
    • Pushing
    • Shoving
    • Being beaten
    • Burned
    • Choked
    • Use of a weapon

Emotional Abuse

    • Statements made to degrade, demean, or humiliate

Psychological Abuse

    • Statements made to isolate, monitor, control, or threaten

Sexual Abuse

    • Rape
    • Marital rape
    • Unwanted sexual contact or sexual coercion
    • Forced conception or abortion 

Financial Abuse

    • Limiting partner’s access to money/employment
    • Forcing employment
    • Controlling a partner’s income

Stalking

    • Harassment which creates feelings of fear and concern for safety

Rates of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a serious public health concern in this country. One in four children will be exposed to at least one form of domestic violence in their lifetime.
One in four children will be exposed to at least one form of domestic violence in their lifetime.
The CDC estimates that 33% of women and 25% of men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner.

The CDC estimates that 33% of women and 25% of men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner.

Such violence affects individuals in every community regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, education, or economic status.  In Elko County, Nevada, 405 domestic violence victimizations occurred in 2017, with a rate of 7.7 per 1,000 persons, much higher than the national rate of 4.5 per 1,000 persons. The Elko County, Nevada District Attorney’s Office reported a 12.2% increase in domestic violence cases from 2019 to 2021.

Elko County reported a 12% increase in domestic violence cases from 2019 to 2021.

Impact of Domestic Violence

The long-term financial costs of domestic violence are staggering—reaching nearly $2.8 trillion for adults and $541 million for children in 2019. But the mental health price that domestic violence survivors pay is beyond calculation. They often suffer PTSD, chronic disease, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Women survivors can experience miscarriages or premature delivery and have babies with low birth weight. Children who experience or witness domestic violence can have serious developmental delays, detachment disorders, shame, guilt, and difficulty making friends and may display sensation-seeking behaviors, have negative coping skills, and harbor revenge fantasies. Growing up with domestic violence is the most significant predictor of whether or not someone experiences or engages in violence later in life. The use of healthy parenting and social/emotional skills within family settings may reduce the effects of domestic violence on children’s development and functioning. All children deserve to grow up in homes free from violence. 

How to Help Children Exposed to Domestic Violence

  • Recognize your own stress and do one thing to reduce it
  • Help children manage stress
  • Follow routines
  • Tell children that the fighting in the family was not their fault
  • Reassure children that you are working to keep them safe
  • Name their feelings
  • Keep children close when they need comfort if that is possible for you
  • Help children anticipate what will happen next
  • Give children choices – just one or two for the youngest children
  • Expect to do these things over and over again. It is normal for children to need lots of repetition