HIAWASSEE, Ga. – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and  S.A.F.E., a local organization that assists victims, explained why the cycle of abuse often continues. The Office of Violence Against Women defines domestic violence as “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner,” although men can become victims of domestic abuse as well.

“The truth is that the abuser needs the victim more than the victim needs the abuser,” a spokesperson for S.A.F.E. explained. “If the victim does leave, the abuser will say horrible things about the victim to others. Yet if the victim agreed to return, the abuser would take him/her back in a second. Domestic violence can be complex and may not make sense to observers, but blaming the victim is not the answer. If we did not haveabusers, we would not have victims. Abusers abuse because they can and the focus should be on their behavior and not on the victim. The victims benefit from developing a safety plan, support, counseling, and resources. The abuser needs consistent consequences, to stop the violent behavior and to take responsibilty for his/her actions.”

Common abusive tactics include physical violence, sexual violence, isolation, economic abuse, emotional
abuse, intimidation, reproductive coercion, and stalking.

The North Enota Domestic Violence Task Force warns that leaving an abusive relationship can be dangerous, and encourages victims to contact S.A.F.E. at 706-379-3000 to develop a safety plan.

In 2018, there were 45,715 crisis calls to Georgia’s certified domestic violence agencies.

According to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence, approximately 2,035 Georgia citizens lost their lives due to domestic violence between 2003 through 2018. Georgia was recently ranked 25th in the nation for its rate of men killing women. Firearms were the cause of death in 72% of recorded domestic violence fatalities in 2018.

In 37% of the cases studied by Georgia’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Project, children witnessed the
domestic violence homicide. In 2017, law enforcement agencies reported response to 61,824 family violence incidents in Georgia. Additionally in 2017, there were 26,327 protective and stalking orders issued in the state.