Providence House services are available without regard to race, sex, age,
income,
disability or religious affiliation.
Does this describe your relationship?
1. The Tension Building Stage Tension builds over time. You feel like you're
walking on eggshells; like something is going to happen but you don't know what
or when.
2. The Acute Battering Stage This is the blowup. The release of the
tension
for the abuser. The abuser threatens to hurt you or kill you. You may get
hit,
kicked, punched, shoved, threatened, raped. The severity of violence increases
over times.
3. The Hearts and Flowers Stage THe abuser promises it will never happen
again. You hope you can believe him/her this time. But without intervention,
nothing has changed. The tension begin to build again. Not every couple
experiences this stage.
Providence House of Catholic Charities: Where Victims of Domestic Violence Can
Turn
Domestic violence isn't someone else's problem. It isn't something special
that
is limited to income or educational level, bad neighborhoods or ethnic
background.
The sad fact, according to FBI statistics, is that one of every two women will
experience violence at home in her lifetime. Violence will occur at least once
in tow-thirds of all marriages.
Children too, are victims. In 70% of all child abuse situations, the
mother is
also being abused. And children from violent homes have higher risks of
alcohol
and drug abuse and juvenile delinquency, affecting all of society.
Right here in Ocean County, hundreds of women each year call the police,
911 or
the Providence House hotline to report acts of violence Statistics suggest
that
hundreds more go unreported.
Providence House of Catholic Charities offers a full spectrum of services for
victims of domestic violence and their children, including:
* 24 hour hotlines
* Safe emergency shelter
* Counseling for residents and non-residents
* Community education
* Advocacy
* Court accompaniment
* Support groups
In an average year, Providence House provides emergency shelter to 200 victims,
receives over 2,400 hotline calls, counsels over 1,000 survivors of domestic
violence and reaches nearly 2,500 Ocean County residents through educational
programs aimed at ending domestic violence.
But, unless we all work together, domestic violence is never going to stop!
How You Can Help
First of all, if you or someone you know is experiencing violence at home, call
our hotline now, before it's too late. Stop pretending you just don't hear the
noise next door. Each year, over 1,400 women die as a result of domestic
violence.
Others may help in two ways. By remembering us each year with a donation,
or by
volunteering your time. Either way, your help is greatly needed.
