MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS: How You Can Help Abuse Survivors You’re out to dinner with a group of friends and you notice it: a friend you haven’t seen in a while seems...different. It was supposed to be an intimate group night out, but their partner showed up unexpectedly. They take your friend’s phone at the table to read text messages and make cruel comments about your friend to the group. You think something’s off, but you don’t know what to say. So you say nothing and hope for the best. Abuse takes on many forms. It does not discriminate by age, gender, orientation, religion, economic conditions or race. While there is no one way to define abuse, it is typically marked by an abuser attempting to gain power and control over another using a variety of methods. The Center for Family Safety and Healing (TCFSH) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital partnered with the City of Westerville to open an area facility in 2019. According to the TCFSH website, residents should be aware of the following warning signs that someone may be suffering abuse:
WARNING SIGNS
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Physical injuries, such as broken bones, fingers, wrist, unexplained bruising
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Claims of being “clumsy” or “accidentprone”
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Covering injuries with makeup or clothing that may be inappropriate for the season or occasion
Add these numbers to your phone: Emergency: Call or text 9-1-1 immediately If it’s not safe to talk or text, offer clues to the 9-1-1 communications technicians. They are trained to help! Franklin County Children Services Child Abuse Hotline (24/7): (614) 229-7000
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Absenteeism
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Tardiness
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Isolation
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Harassing phone calls, text messages, emails, notes on cars
Call Westerville’s non-emergency line to request a wellbeing check for a child or adult:
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Signs of distress, anxiety, depression, crying or poor concentration
(614) 882-7444
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Comments about stress at home
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Talking about the spouse or partner’s anger or temper
Confidentially report suspected or confirmed abuse directly to an Information Coordinator at The Center for Family Safety and Healing (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.): CALL: (844) 234-LINE TEXT: 87028 LIVE CHAT: visit www.familysafetyandhealing.org/chat
Find the full list at www.familysafetyandhealing.org.
CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence (Franklin County) (24/7): (614) 224-4663
Those who think they are seeing signs of abuse are encouraged to approach survivors privately with empathy and trust. Listen to their story. Understand that leaving an abuser is usually incredibly complicated for the survivor. Offer to provide or contact resources for help (domestic violence hotlines can help assist survivors with a place to stay, legal protection and planning). Remind the survivor that they are loved and that help is available. Remember to always call 9-1-1 in an emergency. Knowing that someone cares and is concerned for their wellbeing could be the first of many important steps for a survivor to find a way out of a dangerous situation. Find resources to help at www.familysafetyandhealing.org.
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