Ongoing social isolation due to COVID-19 is just one of the many causes for high tensions within relationships and households.
Safe Haven Cheatham County is available to help by providing a safe environment, shelter, food, and clothing.
Additional services that Safe Haven can offer are: counseling, legal aid, group support, and children's services.
Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Anyone who is in need of these services is encouraged to call (615) 681-5863.
Definition of Domestic Violence:
A form of control that one person exerts over another. It is never about anger – it is all about control – a process that escalates over time.
Likely components:
abuse can be mental, financial, sexual (rape), verbal, physical, emotional (if you love me you will……”
abuser isolates victim away from family, friends, church members, co-workers – keeping victim from reaching out for help
abuser usually withholds funds telling the victim they don’t deserve any money
abuser will use threats – “I’ll hurt your family if you leave, I will track you down wherever you go, I will find you and hurt you if you leave, I’ll take the children away from you if you leave, you can’t even take care of yourself, look at you – you’re pitiful, nobody will hire you!”
abuser usually has ‘buddies’ join in on the abuse and the victim becomes afraid of them knowing they would help find the victim
fear is the greatest motivator – an abuser will use it to their full advantage to control their victim – most dangerous moment is when victim decides to leave – now the abuser is losing power over the victim and this can lead to her death
Responses you/we can make:
listen – you may be first person who the victim trusts enough to tell -- don’t tell them what to do (big mistake, as they are being controlled already)
give options and offer to help them out of the situation (Safe Haven phone number 615-681-5863; facebook Safe Haven Cheatham County)
help them make arrangements, being aware of safety first for parent and children.
