What Is Domestic Violence?

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Reporting abuse can help, but it cannot guarantee compliance or eliminate every avenue for retaliation.

Survivors may face additional fear, isolation, financial strain, or disruption after seeking help.

Survivors need individualized safety planning and support that doesn't shame them.

For a long time, I kept telling myself things would get better. They're just mad; it will die down, I reassured myself, staring into bloodshot, tired eyes in the morning and trying to focus on my work. After another night of not sleeping due to anxiety from "random" cars pulling into my driveway all night.

I think this was the last big thing, I would think to myself, trying to counterbalance my fear with his reassurance. Now that I have a full protection order, they will leave me alone.

When being believed isn't enough

The judge had granted me a two-year protection order. I carried copies everywhere: paper copies in my glove box and electronic copies on my phone, ready to pull out whenever I needed them. My proof that I was worthy of protection— that I had "proven" in a court that I had been........

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