Domestic Violence Awareness Month
While we are in the midst of celebrating many important Jewish holidays during this month, let’s also honor another serious, yet downplayed topic within our community—domestic violence. October is considered to be National Domestic Violence Awareness month.
An issue so painful and real, yet for many the denial is greater, making it easier to avoid and ignore. Most of us know someone who is being abused within a relationship. Whether it is physical, sexual, emotional or financial, abuse is abuse. And the statistics particularly within the Jewish community are startling. According to JCADA (Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Violence), although domestic violence within the Jewish community occurs at the same rate of the general population, Jewish women stay in abusive relationships two-three times longer than non-Jewish women. The reasons vary, however the bottom line is a need for more education, advocacy and awareness training about this issue.
As we know, domestic violence includes many forms of abuse and issues of power and control. Financial abuse is a common example. Often the women (who are usually the victims) are intelligent, educated, well-connected with support and bear a secret of being emotionally and economically abused.
Within our local community, the therapeutic team at Dupont Counseling Group helps people deal with issues of domestic violence on a daily basis. Whether it’s assisting the individual or the family or working with an estranged couple on co-parenting issues, we see it across the board – across all socioeconomic statuses, religions and cultures. We educate our youth within the community with prevention techniques to help them recognize signs of unhealthy relationships and learn about how to treat others with respect. We work in a variety of settings including schools and community groups to reach out to those in need. Shame and safety are huge components as to why individuals often don’t seek help. Dupont Counseling Group is committed to helping to eliminate possible barriers. We are currently partnering with other local agencies, including Hubbard House, to help spread awareness and provide the necessary counseling services to our community.
The impact of violence in the home is critical to children. The effects are tragic. Beyond the issues of misdirected anger (i.e; acting out, bullying others), witnessing domestic violence also deeply affects self-esteem development. Prolonged exposure to unhealthy relationships decreases the child’s ability to build trust and connect positively with others, thus taking longer to develop the skills needed for change. And as we all know, the older we become the more challenging it is to re-learn skills we’ve already been trained to use.
If you are considering counseling for yourself or recommending it to someone you know, the staff at Dupont Counseling Group is ready and able to help with this painful issue. In spite of the difficulties associated with this topic, education and awareness are accessible keys to breaking the cycle of abuse. Please call our confidential intake line at 394-5706 to schedule an appointment.
Rachel Weinstein, LMHC
Dupont Counseling Group
Manager of Clinical Services
