Love should not hurt. It should not bring fear, pain or sadness. But too often in Mecklenburg County—and other communities—love turns into sorrow. And someone is left broken and trying to survive.
Mecklenburg County is home to a powerful number of domestic violence survivors. Now they’re sharing their experiences in an engaging art display—a series of stories published on mobile banners available for organizations to display in Mecklenburg County.
Continue ReadingWritten by Betsy Abraham, Community Support Services
Domestic violence can happen to anyone. It doesn’t matter their age, race, sex or nationality—or the language they speak. Mecklenburg County attracts people from around the world. As a result, it’s important that those who don’t speak English know where they can get help in case of domestic violence. The Community Support Services Prevention & Intervention Division provides care to Spanish-speaking clients through culture with the Confianza program.
Continue ReadingWritten by Betsy Abraham, Community Support Services
Translated by Maria Zuluaga, Community Support Services
La violencia doméstica le puede ocurrir a cualquiera. No importa la edad, raza, sexo o nacionalidad o el idioma que hablen. El condado de Mecklenburg County atrae a personas de todo el mundo. Como resultado, es importante que esas personas que no hablan inglés sepan que pueden obtener ayuda en caso de violencia doméstica. El departamento de Servicios de Apoyo a la Comunidad – División de Prevención e Intervención- ofrece servicios a los clientes que hablan español a través del programa Confianza.
Continue ReadingWritten by Betsy Abraham, Community Support Services
Have you had “the talk” with your teen yet? You know, the one about dating and relationships? We get it—talking to your teen about their love life can get awkward. But having conversations about what’s healthy in a romantic relationship is critical, especially as teenagers start navigating romance for the first time.
Early education is a big part of Mecklenburg County’s strategy to prevent domestic violence. That’s why we visit schools and communities year-round to help teens learn about healthy relationships. But as a parent, guardian or community leader, your role is valuable.
Continue ReadingWritten by Betsy Abraham, Community Support Services
Domestic violence is a lot more common than you might realize. It can affect people close to us without us even knowing about it. Victims of domestic violence could be our neighbors, coworkers, family, friends, customers, teammates, church members, or students. That’s why it’s so important to understand what domestic violence looks like and how we can support someone we love if they’re affected.
Continue ReadingWritten by Betsy Abraham, Community Support Services
Escaping a domestic violence relationship is never easy. But, it’s even harder when you can’t communicate with police officers or have to rely on your abuser to translate for you. This is the challenge many Deaf, Deafblind, and hard-of-hearing people face.
There aren’t many studies on domestic violence in the Deaf, Deafblind, and heard-of-hearing community. But one report shows they were 1.5 times more likely to be victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, psychological abuse, and physical abuse. The Justice for Deaf Victims National Coalition says over 60% of Deaf individuals have experienced, or will experience, abuse by a partner in their lifetime. That’s a pretty astounding percentage.
So how does this abuse look different than in the hearing community? How can we help? Let’s dive in.
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