Editor’s Note: A source’s name was intentionally changed for confidential and personal purposes.
“Just because you are not getting hit or punched, doesn’t mean you are not getting abused,” Ashelia Fran, a representative from the Woman’s Shelter of Long Beach, said on Tuesday, Nov.4, at noon in the the Domestic Abuse workshop that was hosted by Substance in Society in room BE-111.
The presentation that Fran provided for students was intended to let students know how serious a situation where a person is being abused is.
According to the California Partnership To End Domestic Violence, the definition for domestic violence “is a range of behaviors used to establish power and exert control by one person over the other.”
Tactics and behaviors are used by the abusers to maintain the power over other people, but in most cases, their intimate partners.
Society has formed the conclusion that being abused is physically being hit, punched or even kicked.
A person can be abused sexually, verbally, physiologically, economically and even spiritually. Running up credit bills and credit cards without the owner’s consent is abusing one another, just like prohibiting someone to practice his beliefs.
Domestic violence or abuse is not a family issue; it turns out to be a social problem.
The most vulnerable people to come across with these issues are teens.
“Women 18 to 24 are most at risk,” Fran said. According to the Commonwealth fund survey, “Nearly one-third of American women (31 percent) report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives.
Matthew Mejia, a PH major that attended the presentation, said, “ I agree that women, especially teens, are at a high risk of getting abused by a man or their partner, but a lot of people do not realize that men are getting abused every day, too.”
Men that are involved in same-sex relationships have been victims of their partners, as well.
Gender does not matter. Whether you are a male or female, talk to someone about the problem and do not let it escalate, because as time passes, the person abusing will only get worse, and the behavior could escalate to another level where death will be the ending solution.
Yaneli Castaneda, a business major, said, “ I feel better hearing that there is so much help out there for people that are suffering, I really hope they go to people like (Ashelia) that their job is to actually do something about the problem.”
She then added, “ I am glad people like this come to the school to talk about outside places and resources we can use.”
Fran said, “Never be afraid to reach out. We have so many resources, and there is a 24-hour hotline that is guaranteed confidential for anyone that needs help.”
Woman’s Shelter of Long Beach is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
