2. UNDERSTANDING IT
O A man’s act of violence against woman
may seem to result from his psychological
problems, or from sexual frustration,
childhood abuse, drug or alcohol
O It is about power and control, our culture
assigns superior positions to men
O Many men have been taught that violence
is the way to control
3. “ Little by little , he isolated me from
my friends, he convinced me to quit
working, he complained about how I kept
the house, he kept track of the mileage on
the car to make sure that I wasn’t going
anywhere. Eventually, when the beatings
were regular and severe, I had no one to
turn to, and I felt completely alone ”
4.
5. Reactions to Trauma
O Self-blame and feelings of shame
O Fear, terror, and feelings unsafe
O Anger and rage
O Anger turned inward, depression and
suicidal
O Self-harm
O Isolation
O Spiritual Crisis
O Dissociation
6. Regaining our Lives
O The violence was not our fault
O We made the best choices we were able
to.
O There is no right way to feel or heal
O We deserve support
O We need to give ourselves time to heal
7. What to do if being battered
O Stay as calm as possible
O Try to shield yourself, especially your
head and stomach
O Do the best you can do get the least
surgery
O If you can call 911
8. All violence, all that
is dreary and repels,
is not power, but the
absence of power.
Ralph Waldo
Emerson
9. SOME FACTS
O Women and girls with disabilities
experience high rate of violence
O We may be physically depended on
batterer for daily care
O Immigrants or refugees in the US may
encounter systematic barriers
O The Violence Against women act(1994)-
expanded access to legal relief and other
services
O www.ourbodiesourselves.org –Great
website to get information
10. WARNING SIGNS
O Destructive criticism
O Intimidation
O Dominating you
O Disrespect
O Overly jealous
O Blaming you for everything
O Isolating from friends and family
O Making angry gestures
O Destroying objects
O Sexual Violence
O Physical Violence
11. Examinations needed after
Rape
O A verbal history of the sexual assault and
related medical concerns
O Examination and treatment of any external
O Treatment for prevention of pregnancy
O Information about AIDS/HIV
O Examination and treatment of any external
injuries
O A pelvic Exam
12. ENDING THE VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN
O Speak out against the messages in our society
O Teach and model nonviolence
O Intervene whenever we see the seeds or
expression of violence against women
O Work to maintain a strong network of services for
all of us
13. “ Imagine a world free from
gender-based violence: where homes
are not broken into fragments; where
tears are no longer shed for
daughters raped in war, and in peace;
where shame and silences break into
new melodies; were women and men
gain power and courage to live to
their full potential. Into such a world, I
pray, let the twenty-first century
awake “
