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Resources of Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month

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From the Seeds of Security Intimate Partner Violence Network of the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Conferences

Join us across the affiliation, as we mourn lives lost to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), connect with others working to provide essential resources, celebrate the progress that has been made, and become more aware of actions that we can take to create safer spaces and end this form of societal violence.  Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is an issue that impacts all of us. Physical and emotional abuse can create immediate and long-term health problems for the entire community. Learn five things you can do to help raise awareness of IPV, what our faith says, and statistics that can inform your next faithful step toward creating change.

Five Things You Can Do:
  • Learn about Intimate Partner Violence, how it impacts all of us, and how our faith calls us into action.
  • Post contact information for survivors of IPV in the sanctuary, 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or Text “Start” to 88788. Visit the hotline.org for direct resources in your area.
  • Support the Baltimore-Washington Conference and Peninsula-Delaware Conference IPV Network Seeds of Security which directly makes possible respite and resources for survivors of IPV. Learn more information here.
  • Become a sponsor of the Annual Seeds of Security IPV Charity SOS Golf Tournament and/or sign-up a team to join us. Learn more information here.
  • Advocate for the passage and implementation of laws at local and national levels of government to prevent abuse, protect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. Organize forums, inviting outside speakers, including survivors and advocates to facilitate discussions.
What our Faith Says

“We recognize that family violence and abuse in all its forms verbal, psychological, physical, sexual is detrimental to the covenant of the human community. We encourage the Church to provide a safe environment, counsel, and support for the victim. While we deplore the actions of the abuser, we affirm that person to be in need of God’s redeeming love.” (Social Principles, ¶161.H)

“The history of our faith is the history of attempts to recover the insight of Genesis 1 that all creation is sacred in God’s sight, and all human beings are creatures of sacred worth. Jesus was an advocate for the sacred worth of all. 

“United Methodists have worked to eradicate the many forms of violence that destroy the integrity of individuals, families, communities, and nations. People of faith must work to change attitudes, beliefs, policies, and practices at all levels of society that dehumanize and promote the exploitation and abuse of women and girls.” (Book of Resolutions, 3427)

The Statistics

(Download the National Statistics Domestic Violence Fact Sheet)

  • On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.
  • 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services, contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, etc.
  • 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. This includes a range of behaviors (e.g. slapping, shoving, pushing) and in some cases might not be considered "domestic violence." 
  • 1 in 7 women and 1 in 25 men have been injured by an intimate partner.
  • 1 in 10 women have been raped by an intimate partner. Data is unavailable on male victims.
  • 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (e.g. beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
  • 1 in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime to the point in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.
  • On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.
  • The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.
  • Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.
  • Women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.
  • 19% of domestic violence involves a weapon.
  • Domestic victimization is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior.
  • Only 34% of people who are injured by intimate partners receive medical care for their injuries.
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