October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The subject can be very sensitive so TODAY'S TMJ4 asked the best way to talk with someone about it.
If you have someone in your life who you think is being hurt or controlled, Carmen Pitre, the president and CEO of Sojourner Family Peace Center, suggests saying, "I see you."
"If they are a survivor, somewhere in their mind they've registered that you see them, that you care, and that you're not judging them," she says.
Pitre also recommends finding a private place to ask if everything is okay.
"And then just be prepared for whatever reaction. They may get angry at you, tell you, 'No, leave me alone.'"
The point is to be there for someone in a deep, meaningful way.
"You don't have to be an expert," Pitre says. "You just have to be kind, kindhearted, loving, and you need to know what the next step might be."
The next step may be helping a loved one to a safe place like the Sojourner Family Peace Center.
If you or a loved one is suffering from domestic violence, contact the Sojourner Family Peace Center's 24-hour hotline: (414) 933-2722, or the Women's Center of Waukesha 24-hour hotline: (262) 542-3828.
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