Meet Marie and Meaghan Carroll Marie Carroll and her daughter Meaghan Carroll care deeply about empowering women and ending domestic abuse and sexual assault. They have been supporting Safe Connections together for more than a decade. A retired Anheuser-Busch vice president,…
Category: Understanding the Issues
General information on all aspects of abuse.
A Fresh Start
When Young Love Turns Into Abuse Young love. Ashley imagined all the promises her relationship had to offer, but she never imagined having to plan her escape. Her story begins here. Ashley’s romantic high school partner turned out to be controlling and abusive, and her life turned grim quickly….
Every Little Girl Wants…
To Be Like Mommy Ouch. A quick yet poignant look (only 43 seconds) at how a little girl is hurt when her mom gets hurt. Thanks to The Huffington Post and reporter Eleanor Goldberg for sharing this powerful PSA released by a…
Wedding Vows and Domestic Violence
A former Safe Connections Crisis Helpline volunteer recounted that while at work at the photo counter of a local retailer, a young woman approached to pick up her new wedding pictures. The young woman’s face was marked by dark bruises,…
Teen Dating by the Numbers
Approximately 1 in 5 high school girls reports being abused by a boyfriend. – Silverman, J. G., Raj, A., Mucci, L. A., & Hathaway, J. E. (2001). Dating violence against adolescent girls and associated substance use, unhealthy weight control, sexual risk…
Homeless and Runaway Youth
Living life as a homeless, throwaway or runaway teen is as real as it gets. Any stability of living within four walls and a roof, with responsible adults and basic needs like food and warmth met become can be much…
About Domestic and Relationship Violence
The Dynamics of Domestic Violence People often think of domestic violence only in terms of the black eyes and bruises that can be seen. In reality, domestic violence is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors that abusers use to…
About Sexual Assault
Sexual Assault and Violence Sexual violence or assault is non-consensual conduct of a sexual nature. It encompasses a wide range of sexually violent acts that includes sexual harassment, voyeurism, exposure, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, rape, forcible sodomy, incest, child sexual…
Stalking Behavior Patterns and Cycles
Stalking behavior patterns closely mirror those common in many domestic violence cases. The pattern is usually triggered when the stalker’s advances toward their victim is frustrated — regardless of whether the stalker is seeking to establish a personal relationship or…