October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is meant to connect those impacted and help spread awareness, education and prevention.

Domestic violence or intimate partner violence is a pattern of behaviors used to gain and maintain power and control over one person in an intimate relationship despite age, race, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. These intimate relationships are typically long-term, co-dependent relationships. This means domestic violence is most prevalent in families.

According to the Center for Disease and Control, 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 7 men have experienced some form of violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Also according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, every nine seconds a woman is assaulted or abused in the United States. The consequences of domestic violence for victims and families are numerous including emotional, financial, physical, sexual, legal, occupational, health and social.

In order to help prevent abuse, warning signs of abusive partners include:

-- Intimidation or coercion

-- Denies or minimizes the existence of abuse

-- Extreme jealousy or possessiveness

-- Property destruction

-- Cruelty to animals

-- Controlling behaviors

-- Isolation

-- Sabotages partners ability to work or educate self

-- Disregard of partners opinions, thoughts or beliefs

-- Forced sex

-- Unpredictability

-- Demeaning

-- Economic abuse

-- Abuse of other family members or children

-- Unwillingness to compromise

Because of these abusive behaviors, victims or survivors of domestic violence may experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. PTSD includes re-experiencing traumatic events through nightmares or flashbacks as well as difficulties concentrating, severe anxiety, irritability, hyper-vigilance, emotional detachment and sometimes self-destructive behaviors. If you are or know someone who is experiencing any of these symptoms, please seek assistance from a mental health professional.

In order to prevent domestic violence, mental health professionals can teach safe and healthy relationship skills at all ages, empower and engage with victims and survivors, educate about domestic violence, strengthen supports, create safe and healthy environments and support the client-centered treatment.

Domestic violence is a preventable epidemic. Silence is an abusers greatest weapon since domestic violence thrives in silence. Everyone needs to speak up for those who are living in fear and be a voice for victims until they can call themselves survivors. Together we can work together to make our country, community, families and homes a safer place.

Kelsey Joslyn is a licensed clinical social worker and senior clinician at the UCFS Griswold Health Center.

Read more:

Healthy Living: Domestic violence thrives in silence - News - The Bulletin - Norwich Bulletin