How To Support Domestic Violence Victims

Domestic violence is generally experienced by women. However, it could also be experienced by other members of the family. If someone else in your family is experiencing domestic violence, you can be an advocate or you can bring the victim to a local shelter or local desk who could help sort out the problem. If it were your friend who is in the dilemma, do the first step you think is best before taking her to a local assistance.

 To support victims of domestic violence, the following suggestions may be considered:

1. Isolate a member of the family who had been a victim of domestic violence from the member who has hurt her.
2. Interview the victim to know the background of the case. If you will seek local shelter you should know the complete background of the case.
3. Bring the victim to the local shelter for protection and to be somebody who can stand by the victim.
4. If the victim is your best friend or somebody else not related to you by blood, talk to the victim and listen attentively to the story.
5. Propose non-judgmental comments. Gently comfort your friend by reminding her that the problem was not her fault. Do not say angry remarks regarding the abuser; the victim may not tell you the whole story.
6. Remind the victim, who may be your friend, that you are concerned about her case. There may be a possibility that the victim may get angry with your actions.
7. Develop a safe plan with your friend so she can get away from the violence. These steps should protect not only the victim but also the children if any.
8. Compile a list of emergency numbers and offer that to the victim so she has a place to go the next time violence happens. Help the victim to find the safest and the shortest way to go out from the house if her partner assaults her again.
9. If the victim decides to leave, inform her that she has many resources on her side and there are laws that support victims of abuses like her.
10. Advise the victim that there is a government advocate who is ready to assist with legal matters.

Supporting victims of domestic violence could be considered a heroic act. As individuals, we should be concerned with the problems of other people. Children who are abused by their parents do not tell the problem to anybody except when it has been obvious that something is happening to her. Women are also the same. They can't afford to give in to the urgings of even a friend.

If the victim is not willing to report the abuse, you as a friend can report the matter to the authorities. But before going to this step, gather complete information about the abuse. You will be interviewed by the authorities. Make sure you will be able to make a clear report. Tell the authorities your reasons for doing it. You do not need to be a direct witness to the violence to qualify as a concerned reporter. Even teachers are required by law to give an account of any suspicions or violence even when the victim would not accept that the violence happened.