Domestic Violence           

There is never an excuse for violence in a relationship.             

All relationships involve conflicts, but dealing with conflict and anger does not have to result in abuse.        

 Domestic Violence is a pattern of physical and/or emotional abuse within a family or intimate relationship.      

Domestic Violence affects people from all walks of life. Majorities of reported victims are women,   

but in some cases, men are also victims. Children who witness violence in the home are victims too.   

Living in an abusive environment can sometimes physically and emotionally harm them. As adults,    

they may resort to violence or become a victim of abuse, thus continuing a pattern of violence   

in their own lives. Domestic Violence can be found in any culture, income level, age group,   

religion affiliation, sexual orientation and mental/developmental capacity.    

What is considered Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence is physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse between present or former intimate partners or family members. It is rarely a one time occurrence. Domestic Violence usually escalates in frequency and severity over time. Abusers batter to control or dominate their partners or family members.

Abuse Warning Signs 

• Physical abuse can be but is not limited to:

Slapping, hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, burning, driving in a scary reckless way,

punching walls, breaking objects, pulling hair, biting, arm twisting, or using weapons.

• Verbal signs of Domestic Violence are:

Yelling, shouting, insulting, name calling, swearing, talking over you, constant interrupting, humiliating you in public or private, threatening to use weapons against you, or threatening to break personal property.

• Emotional abuse can look like:

Put-downs, disrespect for feelings and opinions, threats, jealousy, possessiveness,

mind games, stalking, ignoring, giving the silent treatment, tracking all of your time,

criticizing you for the little things that make you feel good, discouraging your relationships

with family and friends, or constantly accusing you of being unfaithful.

• Signs of Sexual abuse and harassment are:

Rape, unwanted touching, sexual comments, uncomfortable stares, pressuring for sex,

refusing to talk about contraception or use of protection.

• Perpetrators of DV can also control you economically, some signs are:

Interfering with your work, refusing to let you have a job or attend school,

withholding money, not letting you keep money you earned, and controlling all finances,

forcing you to account in detail for what you spent.

 If you find yourself in a relationship with a majority of these warning signs the Support Center

can help you. These problems do not go away by themselves. There is help to deal with anger

in non-violent ways. There are people to help for you and your family. Most victims do not

want the relationship to end; they want the violence to stop. However, without intervention,

the violent episodes may increase and become more dangerous to the victim.

Here are some local community resources:

The Support Center at Burch House:   1-800-774-0544 or 444-0624

New Hampshire Helpline:   1-800-852-3388

New Hampshire State Police:   846-3333

Littleton Hospital:   444-9000

Woodsville Hospital:   747-9000

Littleton Court Clerk:    District Court: 444-7750    Family Court: 444-3187

Haverhill Court Clerk:    District Court: 787-6626    Family Court: 787-6820

NH Legal Assistance:    444-8000

Grafton County Victim Witness Advocate: (Carin Chevill)    787-2193

New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence:
PO Box 353  Concord, NH  03302-0353
Phone 224-8893  Fax 228-6096

NH Statewide Domestic/Dating Violence hotline: 1-866-644-3574

Website:    www.reachoutnh.com

What is considered Sexual Assault

 Sexual Assault is sexual activity that is done by using force or manipulation. It is a crime

to have sex without consent. Sexual assault can happen to anyone regardless of age,

race, gender, ethnic background, or economic background.

A rapist can be anyone. They can be married or have ongoing relationships.

They could be a stranger, a friend, a relative, or an acquaintance.

In the United States 80% of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows.

Sexual Assault has short and long term physical and mental health effects that can make

recovery difficult. Since most sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim

knows it can make the experience even more traumatic. Whether or not a victim

chooses to report the assault, there are support services and resources

that can help the victim begin their healing process.

More local community resources:

Ammonoosuc Health Clinic:    444-2464

White Mountain Mental Health:    444-5358

Catholic Charities (counseling):    444-7727

National Sexually Transmitted Disease Hotline:   1-800-227-8922

New Hampshire Statewide Sexual Assault Hotline (24 hour):    1-800-277-5570
Website:     www.reachoutnh.com 

Sexual Assault Survivor Rights 

What are the rights of a sexual assault survivor? Many survivors of violent crimes, especially

survivors of sexual assault, experience emotional shock. It is important to acknowledge that

victims can become survivors. Part of this process is for victims/survivors to make every

attempt to take control of their lives again. In order to do this, they must be certain that

they are receiving the care and information to which they are entitled. By exercising their

rights they are, in effect, taking charge again.

If you are a victim or survivor become familiar with your rights.

As a Survivor:

You have the right to determine whether or not you want to report the sexual assault to law enforcement.

You have the right to request to be interviewed by a female officer if you decide to make a report.

You have the right to report but not proceed with prosecution.

You have the right to withdraw your testimony against the attacker at any time.

You have the right to be treated in a considerate and sensitive manner by law enforcement and prosecution personal.

You have the right to sue a person or company for negligence if you were sexually assaulted in a place having unsafe conditions (apartment building or parking lot for example).

You have the right to contact and be contacted (where and when you wish) by law enforcement and the county attorney’s office.

You have the right to obtain copies of police reports regarding the sexual assault.

You have the right to report the attack to law enforcement and expect that all avenues within the law will be pursued to apprehend and convict the offender.

You have the right to file a third party report (for example, a rape crisis center reports the crime but does not disclose your name).

You have the right not to be exposed to prejudice because of your race, age, class, lifestyle, or occupation.

You have the right to be considered a rape survivor regardless of the relationship of the assailant to you (for example, spouse, relative, and an acquaintance).

You have the right to be loved – you have done nothing wrong.

As a Patient:

You have the right to call your personal physician to attend you.

You have the right to refuse the collection of medical evidence, even though you request venereal disease and pregnancy tests.

You have the right to privacy during the collection of medical evidence. Even though you may be a minor, you have the right to have the examination without a parent or guardian present.

You have the right to request that law enforcement officers leave the examining room.

You have the right to request that a friend, family member, or rape crisis counselor accompany you in the examining room.

You have the right to have each procedure explained in detail before it is done.

You have the right to an explanation of the reason for every test, form, and procedure.

You have the right to copies of medical reports.

You have the right to make application for reimbursement through victims of violent crimes compensation for certain medical expenses.

You have the right to strict confidentiality.

You have the right to have common reactions to the rape, such as loss of sleep, nightmares, anxiety, and fear, and not have these reactions considered abnormal behavior.

As a Witness:

You have the right to be asked only the questions that are relevant to a court case.

You have the right to attend all proceedings that are not closed to you as a witness or to the public.

You have the right to a translator in court if you do not speak English.

You have the right to any court records that are public.

What is considered Stalking?

A stalker is someone who is obsessed with their victim. A stalker is a person who follows,

contacts, intimidates, or harasses another person with the intent to make that person afraid.

A stalker can be anyone and may choose their victims for a variety of reasons.

Stalking can happen to anyone and is more common then you think. 1.4 million people are stalked

every year in the United States. What is important to know is that in New Hampshire

stalking is a crime. There are laws to protect you and services available to help you.

In New Hampshire According to RSA 633:3-a

it is against the law for someone to:

• Purposely, knowingly, or recklessly engage in a course of conduct targeted at a specific person

which would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her personal safety or the safety

of a member of that person’s immediate family, and that person is placed in fear;

• Purposely or knowingly engage in a course of conduct that the actor knows will place an individual and/or that person’s immediate family member in fear for personal safety; or

• Commit a single act of conduct that both violates the provisions of a protection order,

divorce decree, or bail conditions, that prohibits contact with the individual and

is an act of conduct, as defined below. The person must have been served or

given notice of the protective order filed against him/her.

• “Course of conduct” refers to 2 or more acts that occur over a period of time, however short,

that show evidence of a pattern of behavior. This includes any of the following acts

against a person or her/his immediate family member:

Acts of Conduct

• Threatening safety. Following, approaching, or confronting the targeted person.

• Appearing with no legitimate purpose at or around a place where a person can be found, including a residence, workplace, or school.

• Causing damage to property.

• Placing an object on the person’s property, either directly or through a third person.

• Causing an injury to a family pet.

• Acts of communication that are harassing to the individual (letters, packages, electronic transmissions).

• Engaging in acts which would constitute stalking after having been advised by a law enforcement officer that the person’s acts were in violation of the stalking statute.

To learn more about Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Local Community Resources,

call us in Littleton at (603) 444-0624 or send us an