October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and if you or someone you know are the victim of domestic or intimate partner violence, help is available.
Domestic violence goes beyond physical assaults and also includes emotional abuse, financial abuse, sexual and medical abuse. Abusive partners use isolation, threats, intimation and violence to control their partner.
Barriers such as fear, financial, children, cultural and religious beliefs make it hard to leave an abusive relationship. These relationships impact health with injuries, gastrointestinal problems, asthma, chronic pain, STIs, depression, anxiety and much more.
If you, or someone you know, needs help, please call 211 or the Maryland Network for Domestic Violence: 1-800-799-7233 national hotline.
TraumaNet is a network of trauma centers dedicated to education and improving trauma care in Maryland. Learn more about them here.
