Teen Health Fair

Domestic Violence...

The Lighthouse offers services to victims of domestic violence and their children. Services include safe shelter, counseling, support group, and more...

Most Victims Are Women: According to statistics, most victims of domestic violence are women, therefore; this site generally will refer to "victims" as women and "abusers" or "perpetrators" as men.  We recognize that men can be victims of domestic violence and that  abusers/perpetrators are sometimes women.

A Look at the Statistics

Also in 1998, women experienced an estimated 876,340 rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault victimizations at the hands of an intimate partner. Men were victims of about 160,000 violent crimes by an intimate partner. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1998.

While women are less likely than men to be victims of violent crimes overall, women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner. - Violence by Intimates: Analysis of Data on Crimes by current or Former Spouses, Boyfriends, and Girlfriends, U.S. Department of Justice, March, 1998

In 92% of all domestic violence incidents, crimes are committed by men against women. - Violence Against Women, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, January, 1994

Of women who reported being raped and/or physically assaulted  since the age of 18, three quarters (76%) were victimized by a current or former husband, cohabitating partner, date, or boyfriend. - Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey, U.S. Department of Justice, November, 1998

Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year to 4 million women who are physically abused by their husbands or live-in partners per year. - Violence by Intimates: Analysis of of Data on Crimes by Current or Former Spouses, Boyfriends, and Girlfriend, U.S. Department of Justice, March, 1998.

Studies show that child abuse occurs in 30-60% of family violence cases that involve families with children. - The Overlap between child maltreatment and woman battering., J. L. Edleson, Violence Against Women, February, 1999

Are You Being Abused? Ask Yourself These Questions.

Would your agency benefit from training on issues relating to Domestic Violence and the Services that are provided by The Lighthouse?

Training is Available

Raise Awareness - Arrange to have a speaker at your next civic group function.

Do you know someone that you suspect or know is being abused? Please read, How To Help Someone That Is Being Abused.

Myths and Facts

Myth: Domestic Violence does not happen that often.
Fact:  A woman is beaten every 9 seconds in the United States.

Myth: Domestic Violence only affect a small percentage of the population.
Fact:  Abuse occurs in one of every six households in any single year.

Myth: Battering does not happen as frequently among the middle and upper classes as it does in the lower classes.
Fact:  Battering occurs just as frequently in all classes.

Myth: Women that are in abusive relationships must like it and stay because they want to.
Fact:   Battering does not begin on the first date. If it did women would not go to a second date. Battering often begins gradually after the relationship has been established and escalates over time.

Myth:  Women of Color are battered more frequently than Caucasian women.
Fact:   All races and ethnic groups report similar patterns of abuse.