October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Help stop the cycle of domestic violence against women in our own community. Learn about facts and warning signs of abuse and how you can make a difference.
7 staggering facts about domestic abuse and violence
- Abuse can take many forms including physical abuse, economic abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and stalking or cyberstalking.
- 1 in 3 women has experienced domestic violence in the US.
- 20% of the women in the US have been raped.
- 3 women are killed every day by their husbands or boyfriends in the US.
- About 240,000 pregnant women are battered by the men in their lives each year in the US.
- Women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.
- Stalking is a felony in Illinois.
WINGS helps women in our local community escape from an abusive relationship by offering safe houses, transitional housing, counseling, and financial support.
10 warning signs of domestic abuse
- Controlling – Abusers use their fists, words, or money to control you.
- Destroy Your Self-Confidence – Abusers put you down and destroy your self worth, often calling you names or laughing at you.
- Restrict Relationships – Abusers restrict visits with your family and friends.
- Jealous and Possessive – Abusers are jealous of your relationship with your family, your child, or your friends.
- Explosive Temper – Abusers often have a terrible temper that goes from zero to sixty in an instant.
- Unequal Power – Abusers hold power over you.
- Won’t Take No as an Answer – Abusers will not accept if you say “No”. Unwanted touching and unwanted sexual activity are abuse.
- Make and Break Promises All the Time – Abusers make false promises to control you and manipulate the situation.
- Fear and Threats – Abusers use fear and threats to control you, often saying they will spread rumors about you, take away your children, or kill you or a family member.
- Physical Harm – It is never okay for someone to slap, punch, choke, grab, kick, or spit at you. This is abuse.
I am being abused. What do I do?
- Call 911 if you’re in immediate danger.
- Call a 24-hour crisis hotline to speak with a counselor: 1-800-799-7233
- Find a safe shelter: 1-877-863-6338. When you call, a counselor will tell you the location of the nearest shelter with an opening for you. If you are in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs, you may also call the WINGS 24-hour Hotline at 847-221-5695.
How can you help?
Make a financial donation to WINGS or purchase personal hygiene essentials online and send them directly to WINGS. WINGS helps women in our community escape from an abusive relationship by offering safe houses, transitional housing, counseling, and financial support.
Purchase personal hygiene products and send them to WINGS
Basic Essentials
Send To
WINGS
5104 Tollview Drive
Suite B
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
Attn: Tabitha Nelson
Phone: 847-519-7820
