People who grow up with family violence have a lot of sad and negative beliefs about themselves that they carry through life until they get help in healing their pain and fear. Read on to learn more about family violence and the steps that can be taken to help heal the pain and deal with the chaos.

Three million new incidences of domestic violence are reported every year in the United States that include:

• Hitting, kicking, biting, scratching
• Excessive physical discipline or punishment of children
• Whipping with a belt or any object
• Threatening to use physical force
• Witnessing any type of violence in the home
• Verbal abuse, such as insults, name-calling, and blame
• Emotional abuse

Growing up in a violent home does not mean you’ll be violent.

Many people who grow up in violent homes worry that they too will become abusive, or that they will find themselves in abusive relationships. But this doesn’t have to happen. Admitting that there was a problem in your family is the key to healing pain from the past, and creating a promising, violence-free future. It’s never too early or too late to get help.

Keep in mind:

• Witnessing violence means you have been victimized, even though the feelings you have to deal with may be different from those of the person who has been hit.
• Violence is a symptom of deeper problems. When the violence stops, those problems will still exist. Not dealing with the problems is what causes violence to flare up again.
• Threats of abuse, emotional and mental abuse, and physical injury are all forms of family violence that lead to hurt, loneliness, and pain for everyone at home.

Some tips for staying safe include:

• Tell someone you trust about the situation. There are people who want to listen and help.
• Call 911 to stop immediate violence. Sometimes only the police can help.