Orange County is a beautiful place to live, but behind the picturesque facades, ugly secrets are often hidden. Domestic violence victims can live anywhere, and abuse can occur regardless of race, gender, age, or socioeconomic status.
Mariposa Center, a counseling and recovery center in the city of Orange, has been working closely with domestic violence victims for more than 45 years. In our team’s experience, recognizing the signs of domestic violence is an essential first step on the road to healing.
Recognizing the Signs of Domestic Violence
Domestic violence can take many forms and have far-reaching effects.
A study released in 2022 by the National Library of Medicine estimated that 10 million people are victims of domestic violence every year, including as many as one in four women and one in nine men.
Further, there were nearly 167,000 domestic violence-related calls to California law enforcement in 2018 alone, and many other incidents went unreported.
According to the Mayo Clinic, indicators of domestic violence include:
- Acting jealous or possessive
- Name-calling, insults, or put-downs in public and private
- Preventing or discouraging time apart, including going to work or school and seeing family or friends
- Controlling someone’s money, where they go, what medicines they take, or what they wear
- Constant accusations of unfaithfulness
- Anger or threats of violence when drinking alcohol or using drugs
- Threats with a weapon
- Physical violence against household members, including children or pets
- Forced sex or sexual acts against your will
- Blaming the victim for violent behavior or saying that the victim deserves it
If you, your loved one, or someone you know is in a violent domestic relationship, the situation might seem hopeless. But that isn’t true – there are steps that you can take and resources at your disposal to escape from these problems.
What to Do if You’re in or Aware of a Violent Domestic Relationship
Victims of domestic violence may not know about the resources available to help them escape.
For example, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 via phone (800-799-7233) or text message (text START to 88788) to provide resources to abuse victims.
Locally, the County of Orange Social Services Agency partners with numerous organizations devoted to aiding victims of domestic violence.
Finally, since 1997, Mariposa Center has helped victims of domestic violence in our community recover and chart a new path to healthy relationships and healthy living.
How Mariposa Center is Helping Domestic Violence Victims in Orange County
Mariposa Center helps victims of domestic violence heal with a combination of counseling, support groups, and Equine Therapy programs. Mariposa’s fully licensed counselors have worked closely with abuse survivors in Orange County and understand what to do in these difficult situations.
“Recovering from domestic violence is never easy, but Mariposa’s safe and supportive environment is designed to assist victims as they rebuild their positive outlook and willingness to trust. Our entire team is dedicated to helping those who have suffered abuse regain their health, happiness, and joy.”
– Dr. Krista Driver, LMFT, Mariposa Center President & CEO
Supporting domestic violence victims in Orange County is an ongoing mission for Mariposa and is made possible by the generous donors and volunteers who support that work.