Speaking Up Against Domestic Violence
Every day in our Society we encounter violence.
It might be an expression someone uses (example: “I’d like to hit that!”), violence depicted in media or we may know a survivor of abuse.
It’s important to verbalize your concern about the impact of domestic abuse in our community. To do so, we all need to have language that empowers us to challenge beliefs and behaviors that allow abuse to continue. For example, speaking up when you hear someone using language that dehumanizes others can be a way to increase safety.
Here are some examples of how:
- Don’t tolerate sexist or violent jokes
- Have conversations with young people in your life about language they might hear from friends, family, at school or in the media
- Make your voice known: participate in events that support survivors and their families, and events that remember those lost to DV
- If you know someone in an abusive relationship, don’t be afraid to tell them you’re worried about them and offer help.
- Knowing that someone you care about is experiencing abuse can be overwhelming and scary. It’s okay to not have all the answers. If you’re unsure of what to say, call the Emerge hotline or go online to learn more about domestic abuse and how you can help.