Domestic violence is a major problem, both in California and throughout the United States. Domestic violence most often refers to intimate partner violence. It includes violence between spouses, individuals in dating relationships and former partners or spouses, and can occur inside or outside the home. Domestic violence often involves a pattern of coercive behavior that includes physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological abuse.
The California Penal Code defines abuse as "intentionally or recklessly causing or attempting to cause bodily injury, or placing another person in reasonable apprehension of imminent, serious bodily injury to himself, herself or another.
"Every year, almost 6% of California's women suffer physical injuries from domestic violence. (1998-1999 California Women's Health Survey) In 2002, 153 murders were committed as a result of intimate partner violence in California, and 50,479 were arrested for domestic violence. (California Department of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Center) The arrest totals should not be interpreted as the actual number of individuals arrested for domestic violence offenses because some individuals may have been arrested for domestic violence more than once.
What a Domestic Violence Victim Can Do
- Contact your local domestic violence center for support.
- Move out for a period of time or for good.
- Insist that your abusive partner move out for a period of time or for good.
- Seek counseling for you and your children and encourage your partner to seek counseling.
- Request a Domestic Violence Protective Order yourself from the court in a civil proceeding.
- Ask the court to issue a Stay-Away Order to protect you whether or not there is a criminal prosecution against the batterer.
- Join a support group for victims of domestic violence.
- A domestic violence abuser can find a victim's Internet trail. See what to do here.
 Local help for Abuse Victims
S.A.F.E. - Safe Alternatives For Everyone
951-587-3900
Alternatives to Domestic Violence
800-339-7233
You can download the following handbooks for more information and suggestions for preventing or dealing with abusive situations.
Domestic Violence 
This pamphlet explains the cycle of domestic violence and the steps a battered woman can take to protect herself.
Domestic Violence Prevention Handbook
Basic information for domestic violence victims, law enforcement and for others providing assistance to victims. Information is provided on what a victim can do to protect herself, emergency services and what can be done to assist the victim.
Family Violence Prevention
This pamphlet shows how to recognize signs of abuse, how to contact family-help agencies, and how to prevent family violence and abuse. The three categories of family violence are: child abuse, battered women and elder abuse.
Parents Guide to Teen Dating Violence
Whether you are the parent of the victim or the abuser, this pamphlet suggests how to talk to your child about the violence and provides ideas and resources for additional help. Questions are provided to determine if a teen is in an abusive relationship.
Teen Dating Violence
This pamphlet, created specifically for teens, includes questions they can answer to identify if their relationship is abusive, steps to take when ending an abusive relationship and how to help a friend who is in an abusive relationship.
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