“You are far too precious and valuable to allow yourself to be destroyed by another person.”
— A domestic violence survivor
It isn’t a “domestic dispute”.
It isn’t the alcohol talking.
It isn’t a private matter.
Not anymore.
Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior that one intimate partner exerts over another as a means of control.
Domestic violence…
…is a choice The abuser is not “out of control”.
…is a pattern There may be good times, but the ugliness returns — and it usually gets worse.
…is intended to control Sometimes it’s physical, often it isn’t. It's whatever works to keep an intimate partner in line.
…is an attitude and a behavior
Sometimes it’s emotional abuse — name-calling or intimidation.
Sometimes it’s threats — to harm you, or anyone or anything you love. Sometimes it’s using sex to demean.
Sometimes it’s physical — pushing, hitting, punching.
Sometimes it’s life-threatening.
New Beginnings publishes a quarterly newsletter. To join the mailing list, email us
King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Network to End Domestic Violence
Family Violence Prevention Fund
Fact sheets prepared by the Family Violence Prevention Fund Read More
Toward Safety and Justice: Domestic Violence in Seattle, 2006. City of Seattle Human Services Department Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Division, 2007. Read More
Now That We Know: Findings and Recommendations from the Washington State Domestic Violence Fatality Review. Kelly Starr and Jake Fawcett for the Washington State Coalition against Domestic Violence, 2008. Read More
Covering Domestic Violence: A Guide for Journalists and Other Media Professionals. Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2006. Read More
Crime in Washington State 2006. Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. 2006. Read More
Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. Patricia Tjaden and Nancy Thoennes. National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000. Read More
Crime Data Brief, Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Read More