Global Domestic Violence Resources List

This week we were made aware of a resource that lists hotlines for Domestic Violence survivors around the globe.  The list is organized by country so you can search your area and get yourself - or someone you know - the necessary assistance in a way that is safe and discreet.  **TRIGGER WARNING: Please note this website does mention specific types of Domestic Violence along with statistics.  If this information will be triggering for you, we encourage you to skip over the first few paragraphs of the article and go straight to the list.  

Click Here to Go directly to the List of Global Domestic Violence Hotlines

If you know someone who is experiencing Domestic Violence, here are some things you can do:
(Excerpt taken from the International Domestic Violence Resource Guide: Coronavirus Update posted on MysticMag by Michelle Cardillo, January 2021)

1. Don’t push the victim.
   Sometimes it seems odd that an abused wife won’t file a complaint against her husband to end her suffering – and people will just pressure her to do so. Remember that you don’t know what the victim has gone through, and reporting the abuse might be horrifying for them. Sometimes they try to protect their abuser out of fear, or a feeling that they deserve such abuse. Therefore, they will need your help – and not a lecture about how they need to stop suffering and help themselves.
2. Don’t be afraid to make an anonymous report.
   Call the police if you hear an active, ongoing incident – you might very well be saving that victim’s life.
3. Call a support service.
   Every one of the services listed here are well-trained in cooperating with the police, social services, and other relevant bodies. They can give you advice regarding the specific case at hand, and contact the victim themselves without mentioning you at all.
4. Avoid the abuser.
   You’re trying to help a victim by getting the right professionals on the case, not by taking the law into your own hands or getting into trouble. Don’t talk to the abuser, even if you’re well acquainted, and don’t threaten them. Leave them for the cops and legal system.
5. Keep things confidential.
   While helping a person in need is grounds for praise in social media, it might also expose that case and cause new or additional hardships for the victim. Also, a person who’s fishing for praise on Facebook or Twitter might play into the hands of the abuser’s lawyers, saying your report was dishonest as you were in it only to gain likes and popularity.