Domestic Violence

The NCBW Richmond Metropolitan Area Chapter’s charge is to aggressively develop an awareness campaign concerning the causes, symptoms and treatment of mental health issues.  African Americans account for roughly 16% of the mental health needs in this country while only making up 13.4% of the national population.

“At the root of this dilemma is the way we view mental health in this country. Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it's still an illness and there should be no distinction."

- Michelle Obama - 
  • 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. 1 in 6 U.S. youth (aged 6 to 17) experience a mental health disorder
    each year.
  • 1 out of 20 U.S. Adults experience serious mental illness each year.
  • 1,115,000 Adults in Virginia have a mental health condition. That’s more than 4 times the population of Richmond.
  • In February 2021, 36.9% of adults in Virginia reported symptoms of anxiety or depression.
  • More than half of the people in Virginia with a mental health condition did not receive any treatment in the past year.
  • Schizophrenia usually develops early in life and costs the US economy an estimated $155.7 Billion a year.
  • 1 in 4 people with serious mental illness have been arrested leading to over 2 million people with mental illness are booked into
    jails every year.
  • 1,943,480 people in Virginia live in areas with a shortage of mental health professional.
  • Depression is the #1 leading cause of disability in the world and mental illness.
  • 1 American dies by suicide every 11 minutes.

The NCBW RMAC aim to take an active role in advocating on behalf of women of color who are victimized by their intimate partners in the name of love.  Each year, more than 10 million people experience domestic violence in the United States. Approximately 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. About 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, sexual, violence, and/or partner stalking with injury, PTSD, or contraction of a sexually transmitted disease. approximately one to five million women suffer nonfatal domestic violence from an intimate partner. About 12% of youth in grades 7 through 12 have experienced physical dating violence. Factors that complicate domestic violence include financial dependency on the abuser, jealousy, disrespect, distrust, disdain history and familiarity with the perpetrator.

Some signs that you may be a victim of domestic abuse include:

·         You feel scared of how your partner may behave.

·         You constantly making excuses to other people for your partner’s behaviors.

·         You believe you can help your partner change if only you changed something about yourself.

·         You try not to do anything that would provoke a conflict or make your partner angry.

·         You always do what your partner wants you to do instead of what you want.

·         You stay with your partner because you are afraid of what your might do if you break up.

·         You are constantly trying to cover black eyes and bruises.

·         You don’t feel safe or secure in the relationship.
  

                               If you are someone you know is in need of assistance, call 911 or 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).