Your support and encouragement can be of tremendous value to a friend
control by listening, providing information, and helping your friend to explore
options

Become informed



Gather all the information you can about domestic violence. Contact programs
and services in your area that assist victims of intimate partner violence and
their children. When asked for advice on what to do, share the information you
have gathered. Let her know she is not alone and there are caring people
available.


Lend a sympathetic ear

Letting your friend know you care and are willing to listen may be the best help
you can offer. Don’t force this issue. Never blame the victim for what is
happening or underestimate the victims’ fear of potential danger. Never repeat
what has been told to you to the abuser, unless given permission.


Remember that your friend or family member must make his or her own
decisions. Focus on supporting your friend or family member’s right to make his
or her own choices. Emphasize their strengths and skills and that everyone
deserves to live a life that is free from violence.


Help develop a safety plan

Encourage your friend to develop a plan to protect herself and her children.
Help her think through the steps she should take if her partner becomes abusive
again. Make a list of people she can call and places she can go.


If she decides to leave

If your friend decides to leave, a domestic violence shelter may be an option
and a safe place to go. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline to find
out where the nearest shelter is located.


When to intervene

It cannot be overemphasized that domestic violence can result in serious
physical injury or even death. If you are a neighbor or otherwise know that a
battering incident is occurring, call the police immediately. Calling the police
does not always mean that an abuser will be put in jail.


The National Domestic Violence Hotline

1-888-799-SAFE www.ndvh.org
SUPPORT
What can you do to Help?
THERE IS
NO
EXCUSE
FOR
DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE