White Ribbon Day

[Rosie-RO]

Intimate partner violence is the most common type of violence against women, affecting 30 per cent of women worldwide, according to the 2013 World Health Organization report. In Australia, we are not immune. The impact of violence against women is widespread and long-standing, generating profound personal, social and economic costs for individuals, communities and the nation.

Domestic Violence comes in all shapes and sizes, and affects a large amount of people all over the world. More often than not, it is an issue that goes unspoken. A large amount of people don't talk about their experiences and stay silent because of fear of further aggression or fear of judgment. DV affects women and men of all ages, sexual orientation and from all walks of life. Even if you feel like DV does not affect you, it could affect your family, friends or co-workers. 

Domestic violence does not have to be physical, it can be emotional, economic, social and spiritual abuse. Domestic Violenece is about power and control over someone.  Power is an important thing - and having power and control over ourselves makes us feel empowered and strong. When that is taken away from us, it can leave us feeling lost, or powerless. It can affect our self-esteem, self worth and mental health because it can isolate us from the people we love. 

So in tonight's GR Session we are going to talk about DV and how we can keep ourselves safe, and also help other people around us who are going through this. 

The session is about giving a voice to domestic violence survivors and empowering us to protect ourselves. Have you taken the pledge to help end domestic violence?  If not, we challenge you to do so before this session starts!

Come join us this Monday 25th November from 8pm AEST, talking about this might help you or someone close to you.

[ruenhonx]

Hey guys!

Welcome to tonight's Getting Real Session on domestic violence. Tonight, myself, cheekyone and Sophie will be co-facilitating 

Domestic violence is very common and it is a global problem and it affects people from all walks of life. It not only is about having control but also having power over someone. People can sometimes be silent about it because of fear, shame and guilt but tonight we are opening the door, becoming more aware and sharing experiences with each other.

Please make sure that the discussion tonight is within the guidelines, as always and if you need to talk to someone one on one, click the 'emergency help & info' link up the top right of your page.

A lot of people think about physical violence when they hear the term domestic violence. While that is part of it, there is much more to it than that.

What other types of things are also considered domestic violence?

[delicatedreamer]

Hi everyone!

A lot of people think about physical violence when they hear the term domestic violence. While that is part of it, there is much more to it than that.

What other types of things are also considered domestic violence?

Great opening question. The main thing I can think of other than physical domestic violence is emotional abuse (like being controlling of the person and putting them down). I also thought blackmail, but I think this possibly comes under emotional abuse too.

[Cheekyone]

Verbal and emotional violence is also classed as domestic violence, you can't always see violence happening.

[ruenhonx]

Hey DD  

Yeah I agree blackmail can be emotional and mental as well. 

[Sophie-RO]

Hey y'all! Yep, the emotional stuff, and social and financial abuse... Actually any relationship where one person is afraid of the other is abusive and classed as domestic violence...

[Sophie-RO]

yea blackmail is definitely part of emotional abuse...

[ruenhonx]

The abuse I didn't know much about is spiritual abuse, where someone stops you from practicing your spirituality or pushes you into practicing their spirituality. 

[delicatedreamer]

Wow really Sophie? I didn't know that. Learning already!

[dreamer]

To me domestic violence was about control. My father controlled everything, from who we saw, where our money went, when we could leave the house, when we could be inside the house, and so on. For us it wasn't a physical thing, it was the constant fear and threat that anything could happen, and that we were powerless to stop it. We weren't, but I didn't know that at the time.