The Cycle of Violence
Domestic violence follows a pattern that is described as the cycle of violence. It is a pattern of living in which one person uses violence or other abusive behavior to control and maintain power over a spouse, partner or other family member. It may include physical abuse, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, economic abuse and/or sexual abuse.
It has a devastating impact on the self-esteem and quality of life of victims and their children. It is the leading cause of injury and death to women between the ages of 15-44, exceeding car accidents, muggings and rapes. Domestic violence not only affects the abused victim, but it also affects the children who witness the abuse. Statistics indicate that domestic violence is the single best predictor of juvenile delinquency and adult criminality.
The cycle can happen hundreds of times in an abusive relationship, with each stage lasting a different amount of time and can take anywhere from a few hours to a year or more to complete. It is important to remember that not all domestic violence relationships fit the cycle. Often, as time goes on, the “making up” and “calm” stages disappear.
Seek Help
If you are a victim of domestic violence, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office urges you to seek help.
The violence will not go away on its own. Remember, you have the right to be safe and so do your children. No one has the right to physically or emotionally abuse you. You are not alone.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
This hotline is available 24/7 and provides crisis intervention in both English and Spanish, and referrals to local services and shelters for victims of partner/spousal abuse.
1 (800) 799-SAFE (7233)
1 (800) 787-3224 (TTY)
1 (800) 942-6908 (Spanish)
Tulare County Health and Human Services
Government Plaza
5957 S Mooney Blvd.
Visalia, CA 93291
Phone: (559) 737-4533
Fax: (559) 737-4693
Legal and Personal Rights Information
Family Services: (559) 732-2514
Family Violence 24-Hour Hotline: 1 (800) 448-2044
Porterville Mission Project: (559) 781-7462
Victim/Witness Assistance Division: (559) 733-6755
Legal Aid: 1 (800) 350-3654 or (559) 733-8770
Shelters
Tulare Women’s Shelter: (559) 685-9515
Bethlehem Center Visalia: (559) 734-1572
Visalia Women’s Shelter: (559) 732-5941
Open Gate Ministries, Dinuba (Emeregency Short-Term Housing): (559) 591-1241
Porterville Mission, Project Shelter: (559) 781-7468 or (559) 784-0192
Safe at Home: Confidential Address Program
The Safe at Home Program is a no cost mail forwarding service designed to help victims of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault who have recently moved or plan to move to a safe place unknown to their abusers.
Safe at Home participants can use a free P.O. Box instead of their home address to help them maintain their privacy when receiving first-class mail, opening a bank account, completing a confidential name change, filling out government documents, registering to vote, getting a driver’s license, enrolling a child in school, and more.
Warning Signs & Other Types of Abuse
Are you or someone you know being emotionally or physically abused?
Using Coercion & Threats
• Making or carrying out threats of harm
• Threatening to leave or commit suicide
• Threatening to report her to welfare, police,
or immigration
• Making her drop criminal charges
Using Intimidation
• Making her afraid by using looks, actions, gestures
• Smashing things, destroying her property
• Cruelty to animals
• Displaying weapons
Economic Abuse
• Preventing the victim from working
• Making her ask for money or taking her money
• Not allowing victim access to family income
Using the Children
• Using visitation or custody to control her
• Threatening to take the children away
Emotional Abuse
• Putting her down, humiliating her, name-calling
• Making her think she is crazy
• Possessiveness
• Accusations of an affair
Isolation
• Controlling what she does, who she sees, and who
she talks to
• Monitoring phone calls, internet use, clothing
• Hiding car keys, taking cell phone away
Minimizing, Denying, & Blaming
• Denying the abuse or making light of it
• Shifting responsibility for abusive behavior
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PSA
Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution Program
The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office receives special grant funding to prosecute sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking in Tulare County. Funded under the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the VAWA Vertical Prosecution Program grant is awarded to only 11 agencies statewide. The grant provides funding for an experienced felony Deputy District Attorney, a District Attorney Investigator, and a Victim Advocate.
This program reflects the Tulare County District Attorney’s commitment to protect women, children and families through the Special Crimes Division.