The Georgia Code Section defines Domestic Violence as any felony, battery, assault, stalking, criminal damage to property, unlawful restraint or criminal trespass between two past or present spouses, parents of the same child, parents & children, stepparrents & stepchildren, foster parents & foster children, or other persons living or formerly living in the same household (O.C.G.A. 19-13-1).

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS ANY FORM OF ABUSE TO YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN:

Physical Abuse can include slapping, punching, pushing, kicking, grabbing, choking, pinching, biting, pulling your hair, using weapons to hurt or threaten to hurt you….

Sexual Abuse can include forced sexual contact whether by physical force, coercion or threats, touching you in any way sexually without your consent, ignoring your no’s….

Psychological Abuse can include threats of any kind like to harm you, to harm the children, to destroy your personal things; keeping you away from the children, constantly monitoring your actions, putting you down, name calling, withholding money from you….

IN 1996:

Georgia Family Violence Shelters provided services to a total of 22,682 adults & 14,120 children, including shelter for 3,728 adult victims & 4,395 children.

Over 52,000 calls were made to crisis lines

About ¾ victim of domestic violence surveyed had one or more children under the age of 18

64% of victims are married to the men that abuse them

A women is physically abused every 9 - 15 seconds

26% of murdered women are killed by their husbands or boyfriends

30% of women in emergency rooms are there because of injuries caused by abuse

More babies are born with birth defects as a result of the mother’s being battered than from all the diseases for which we now immunize pregnant women

Medical expenses caused by domestic assault in the U. S. total at least $3-5 billion annually

¼ of men will use violence against a partner at sometime during the relationship

children are present during 80% of the assaults against their mothers

25% of domestic violence victims are pregnant at the time of the abuse

Every 5 years, the death toll of persons killed by relatives & acquaintances equals that of the entire Vietnam War

(from DHR & NCGLEA)

Please refer to the following for more information regarding domestic violence and providing assistance to victims of domestic violence:

Information for Victims of Domestic Violence – informational brochure

Domestic Violence – Safety Tips for You and Your Family – info brochure

Cobb County Battered Women’s Shelter – information and services

List of Battered Women’s Shelters in State of Georgia and other referral numbers for working with victims of domestic violence

Georgia Law on Domestic Violence – summary sheet