Dr. Sharon Orrange
Primary Care Physician
Dr. Orrange received her BA in Biology at the University of California, San Diego, and a Masters Degree in Health Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. She received her MD from the USC Keck School of…
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LOCATION: Santa Monica, CA, USA
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  • Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Geriatric, Hospital and General Internal Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
YEARS IN PRACTICE: 15
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10 Things You Need to Know About Domestic Violence
7
Posted in Sexual Abuse by Dr. Sharon Orrange on Oct 18, 2012
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is the month where we team up to encourage folks to report abuse, request arrests and seek support.

To get you fired up here are 10 things you need to know about Domestic Violence, also known as Intimate Partner Violence.
1. The death toll: Nationwide, an average of 3 women lose their lives each day as a result of domestic violence.

2. What is Domestic Violence? Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior-physical, emotional, sexual and/or economic-that is used by one partner in the relationship to maintain power and control over the other. It occurs in heterosexual and same–sex relationships.

3. Boom, the impact: Domestic violence impacts nearly 1 in 7 women and more than 3 million children.

4. The little victims: Even when children in abusive homes aren’t directly injured, the effects of the exposure to violence can result in emotional problems that play out in many forms: bullying, alcohol and drug abuse, and dating and gang violence.

5. The demographic at risk: Women between the ages of 16 and 24 are the most vulnerable to intimate partner violence.

6. The not-so great high school years: 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year.

7. High-risk pregnancy: Physical abuse occurs during 7 to 20 percent of pregnancies.

8. Don’t forget the male victims: Although women are more likely to be victims than men, domestic violence against men is also too common and underreported. The most common forms of assault were slapping, grabbing, and shoving. Thirty-seven percent of cases involved a weapon and 7 percent of male victims described being forced to have sex.

9. Repeating the pattern: Children of abused mothers were 57 times more likely to have been harmed, compared with children of non-abused mothers.

10. A public health crisis: Intimate partner violence was a factor in 20 percent of US homicides with three-quarters of the victims being female.
Speak up. Speak out. End it.

- Dr. O


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7
Thank you for citing your sources, Dr. Orange. I really appreciate it.
By MyTrueColors  Oct 22, 2012
6
My ex never raised a hand to me - I would have had the sense to leave if he had. But he said the most hurtful, critical, and condescending things frequently! He harassed me into taking a job I didn't want, and then I was economically trapped in it for decades because I wasn't qualified to do anything else. He would not help with taking care of the house or the children, but had plenty to criticize while he sat in his easy chair. Nothing I did was right. I eventually realized that I stayed on "Red Alert" unless he was out of town with his job. I was much happier when he was gone. I told him several times that I wanted a divorce, but he always opposed it. He didn't have much use for me, but he liked my salary. We have been divorced for 25 years, but I still sometimes have nightmares about him and/or the job I hated. Diagnosed with PTSD.
By madbookworm  Oct 22, 2012
5
Hey there
I used many resources and most statistics cited are from:
1. Extent, nature, and consequences of intimate partner violence: findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. Publication No. NCJ-181867, US Department of Justice, Washington, DC 2000.
2. The World Health Organization. World report on violence and health. Chapter 4. Violence by intimate partners.
3. Intimate Partner Violence in Practical Gynecology: A Guide for the Primary Care Physician, American College of Physicans, 2009.
4. Intimate Partner Violence Surveillance: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Atlanta 2002.
Among many other citations I've gathered over the years...
Dr O.
By DrOrrange  Oct 20, 2012
4
I was divorced from my emotional/verbal abuser more than two decades ago. I still have symptoms of PTSD, though they are gradually diminishing.

I will never forgive him for what he did to me. NEVER.
By madbookworm  Oct 20, 2012
3
Sorry to do in sections but here are my sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/01/s...

http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/home...

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20...

http://www.thereandback-again.org/P... )
By MyTrueColors  Oct 18, 2012
2
I would like to see more said about how physical & emotional trauma affects the brain. Research shows that repeated both physical & emotional trauma, including abuse, can cause damage to the hippocamus which, if I understand correctly, is the part of the brain responsible for time stamping & putting all of our experiences into context. Trauma can cause the hippocampus to shrink which, in turn, can affect its ability to differentiate between what happened the past & what is happening in the present (- PTSD). It can also affect a person's ability to (among other things) recognize all available choices and/or make decisions that would otherwise enable her/him to leave, take so long to leave &/or keep going back.
By MyTrueColors  Oct 18, 2012
1
Dr. Orange, Thank you for helping to bring concern for domestic violence to the forefront. I really appreciate your articles. I would really be interested in knowing the source(s) used for this article. Thank you!

Domestic abuse is WAY under reported.

Many victims don't realize they are being abused because their abuser is not hitting them or calling them names.

Abuse happens in many ways and can be very subtle. (See "The Verbally Abusive Relationship" by Patrica Evans)
By MyTrueColors  Oct 18, 2012
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