Topics on this page:

Is Your Relationship Safe?
Resources on Domestic Violence
General Reference Materials on Domestic Violence, Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood

You should never feel scared or afraid of your partner if you are in a healthy relationship. The National Healthy Marriage Resource Center wants to make sure that you, and everyone you care about, can recognize the symptoms of an unhealthy relationship and have access to the resources you need to either heal the relationship or exit the relationship safely.

Please note that internet activity can be tracked. If you are worried that someone may be monitoring the Web sites you visit, DO NOT proceed with this site. Please visit the site again from a safe computer (i.e. a friend's computer or a computer in the public library) or call the NHMRC at 866-91-NHMRC for additional resources.

Is Your Relationship Safe?

Healthy relationships help us feel safe, good and happy about the future. Unfortunately some relationships are hurtful, unsafe or violent. These relationships can happen to anyone. Are you in one of these relationships? Only you can decide if you are. Only you can decide what to do about it.

Ask yourself - does your partner hurt you? People can hurt each other verbally, emotionally, physically and sexually. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides a set of questions that you can use to think about your relationship. If you answer yes to one or more of these answers, you may be an abusive relationship.

Does your partner:

Embarrass you with put-downs?
Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
Control what you do, who you see or talk to or where you go?
Stop you from seeing your friends or family members?
Take your money or Social Security check, make you ask for money or refuse to give you money?
Make all of the decisions?
Tell you that you're a bad parent or threaten to take away or hurt your children?
Prevent you from working or attending school?
Act like the abuse is no big deal, it's your fault, or even deny doing it?
Destroy your property or threaten to kill your pets?
Intimidate you with guns, knives or other weapons?
Shove you, slap you, choke you, or hit you?
Force you to try and drop charges?
Threaten to commit suicide?
Threaten to kill you?

If you answered 'yes' to even one of these questions, you may be in an abusive relationship.

What do I do?

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For other help, please see below for various hotline numbers and information.

For support and more information please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or at TTY 1-800-787-3224.

Resources on Domestic Violence

The National Domestic Violence Hotline
800-799-SAFE (7233)
(TTY) 800-787-3224
www.ndvh.org
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a critical partner in meeting the safety and support needs of victims of domestic violence. A project of the Texas Council on Family Violence, the toll-free, 24-hour Hotline provides:

Crisis intervention services that help callers identify problems and possible solutions, including making plans for safety in an emergency.
Information for friends, families, social services professionals, community leaders and employers wanting to learn more about domestic violence and how they can help.
Referrals to local community-based domestic violence shelters and programs, social service agencies, legal programs, and other agencies and organizations.

State Domestic Violence Coalitions

State Domestic Violence Coalitions provide training and technical assistance and are centrally involved in the design and implementation of collaborative intervention and prevention activities with public agencies and other service providers within their states. They are an excellent source of information about state and local laws, protections and services for domestic violence victims.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides a list of state domestic violence coalitions and their contact information.

The National Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN)

The DVRN is a consortium of national centers providing guidance and expertise in key areas of practice and policy.

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
Tel (800) 537-2238, TTY (800) 553-2508, Fax (717) 545-9456
www.nrcdv.org
Provides comprehensive information and resources, policy development, and technical assistance designed to enhance community response to and prevention of domestic violence.

Battered Women's Justice Project
Tel (800) 903-0111
www.bwjp.org
Provides training, technical assistance, and other resources on civil and criminal justice issues related to domestic violence.

National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence
Tel: (888) Rx-ABUSE (792-2873), Fax: (415) 252-8991
Web: www.endabuse.org/health
Provides resource and training materials, clinical tools, technical assistance, information and referrals, training and models for local, state, and national health policy-making for those interested in improving healthcare's response to domestic violence.

Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Protection and Custody
Tel: (800) 52-PEACE (527-3223), Fax: (775) 784-6160
http://www.nrcdv.org/
Provides information, materials, consultation, and technical assistance related to child protection and custody within the context of domestic violence.

Sacred Circle, National Resource Center to End Violence Against Native Women
Tel: (877) RED-ROAD (733-7623), Fax: (605) 341-2472
Provides technical assistance, policy development, training institutes, and resource information regarding domestic violence and sexual assault to develop coordinated agency response in American Indian/Alaska Native tribal communities.

www.ndvh.org/educate/online.html - The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides a large list of online resources

http://www.vawnet.org/ - The National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women (VAWnet) provides a comprehensive collection of information and resources related to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking

General Reference Materials on Domestic Violence, Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood

www.clasp.org/publications/marriage_dv.pdf - It’s Not Healthy If It’s Not Safe: Responding to Domestic Violence Issues within Healthy Marriage Programs, by Anne Menard, Director, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Oliver Williams, Ph.D., Director, Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community (2006).
http://www.clasp.org/publications/building_bridges_guide.pdf - Building Bridges Between Healthy Marriage, Responsible Fatherhood, and Domestic Violence Programs: A Preliminary Guide, by Theodora Ooms, Paula Roberts, Anne Menard et al. (2006)