Trauma and Injury Prevention

Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. Domestic violence may also be referred to as intimate partner violence, dating abuse, or relationship abuse. (NCADV)

Domestic Violence can take many different forms including:

• Physical abuse (hitting or using a weapon).
• Sexual abuse/coercion (rape or any unwanted sexual contact).
• Emotional abuse (threats or humiliation).
• Financial abuse (controlling a person’s money without their permission).
• Digital Abuse (using technology and the internet to harass, stalk, and intimidate a person).

Many abusive people appear to be ideal partners during the early parts of a relationship. Warning signs of abuse don’t always appear overnight and may emerge and intensify slowly as the relationship grows.

Signs of Domestic Violence include but are not limited to:

• Preventing or discouraging you from spending time with others, particularly friends, family, or peers
• Insulting, demeaning, or shaming you, especially in front of others
• Controlling finances in the household without discussion, such as taking your money or refusing to provide money for necessary expenses.
• Insulting your parenting or threatening to harm or take away your children or pets.
• Pressuring you to have sex or perform sexual acts you’re not comfortable with.

To learn more about the possible signs of domestic violence, click here.

Reporting a Sexual Assault:

If you are an adult, you do not necessarily have to report a sexual assault to the police. You are allowed to obtain a medical forensic exam without making a police report if that is what you prefer. Evidence collected without an accompanying police report will be stored for a minimum of two years.

Important Information about Medical Forensic Exams

• A medical forensic exam may only be completed within 120 hours (5 days) of an assault incident.
• If the assault occurred more than 120 hours ago, a forensic exam cannot be completed, however the crime may still be reported. We would still encourage you to obtain, at a minimum, a wellness exam, to ensure that you have not sustained any injuries.

Note: If you are asked questions regarding your citizenship status in a hospital/clinical setting, you do not have to answer, if you do not want to. Declining to answer will not affect your care.

Reporting Child Sexual Assault/Abuse:

Doctors, nurses, teachers, day-care employees and other professionals licensed by the state or working in a facility licensed by or operated by the state, who have direct contact with children during their job, must make a report of suspected abuse within 48 hours of suspecting abuse or assault.

Texas law requires that any person suspecting that a child has been abused or neglected must immediately make a report.

• If there is an emergency, call 911 and then call DFPS Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400.
• Report can also be made online here,
• For more information about reporting child abuse, click here.

Victim's Compensation:

If you have been assaulted, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund.

• For information on eligibility, click here.

For more information on reporting sexual assault, click here.

Information about Protective Orders:

If you are experiencing Domestic Violence or sexual abuse, you may be eligible for a protective order. A protective order is a court order that protects you from someone who has been violent or threatened to be violent.

• For more information regarding protective orders, click here.

For data regarding domestic violence in Dallas:

• Visit the Dallas Domestic Violence Crimes Dashboard here.

Get information for reporting abuse for Immigrants here.

Note: If you are asked questions regarding your citizenship status in a hospital/clinical setting, you do not have to answer, if you do not want to. Declining to answer will not affect your care.

For information about advocacy services for survivors:

• https://www.dallasrapecrisis.org/advocacy
• https://www.tlsc.org/lassa
• https://www.findhelp.org/

Information about counseling services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and other traumatic events, can be found here.

• Services are offered to anyone above the age of 4, residing in Dallas County.
• For other services for domestic violence survivors, click here.

Resources for Teens and Young Adults:

• To get more information regarding healthy teenage/young adult relationships, click here.