|
The
2006/2007 fiscal year was busy at Lurana
Shelter. 812 women and children were accommodated
from immediate crisis domestic violence situations.
In addition, 3,569 crisis calls were received.
Domestic Violence Facts and Statistics:
The Women
- Battering is the single major cause of injury to women - more significant that auto accidents, rape or muggings.
- Battered women find it difficult to sustain employment because of frequent absenteeism due to injury and illness resulting from stress.
- Battered women sometimes have to move frequently to avoid violence, which is problematic as it is costly, can interfere with continuity of employment and is distressing to children.
- Battered women often lose friends and family support because the abusive spouse isolates them. They may also become embarrassed by the abuse and withdraw socially.
- Victims of spousal abuse may cope by self-medicating with alcohol or drugs.
- Physical injuries sustained by women often cause medical difficulties later in life. Arthritis, hypertension and heart disease can often be directly linked to domestic violence.
- Spousal abuse often results in Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Victims suffer from an array of symptoms, including fear and anxiety, re-experiencing the trauma, nightmares, and grief and depression.
- Battered women are 5.5 times more likely to commit suicide.
The Children:
Boys raised in violent homes are 1500% more likely to become abusers than are boys raised in homes where violence doesn't occur. Girls raised in violent homes are 651% more likely to be sexually abused than are girls raised in homes where violence doesn't occur. Children of abused mothers are 6 times more likely to run away from home. In some areas of Canada, 70% of street youth experienced domestic violence in their homes. Studies link self-harm, eating disorders and suicide to exposure to family violence. Children who live in a violent home also live with daily fear.
Children who live in a violent situation struggle with the sleep difficulties, bed wetting, anxiety and fearfulness, withdrawal from people and events, aggressive behaviour, destructive behaviours, bullying, cruelty to animals, chronic stress related illness such as headaches or stomach aches, drug or alcohol abuse, intense fear of death of a parent, or regression to an earlier behavior (such as thumb sucking).
|
|
Legal Disclaimer