TV3 releases domestic violence awareness and prevention series

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Detroit Lakes’ TV3 released a new series to promote domestic violence prevention last week in an effort to get more victims of domestic violence to reach out for help before it’s too late.

The series was sponsored by Stellher Human Services and Sanford Health.

Anna Sellin, executive director of the Lakes Crisis and Resource Center, said it’s really important for family and friends know the signs of domestic violence so they can offer support to a loved one, who may not even realize what they are experiencing is domestic abuse.

“Clinginess, but also kind of possessiveness, heightened jealousy, maybe sending a lot of expensive gifts that are unexpected, unwanted,” said Sellin. “Showing up at your place of work, maybe even sabotaging your work to the point of getting you fired. Being there constantly. Repeated calling and harassing, which can then grow to being financially controlling … so then there’s the financial control. Maybe taking care of all of the bills so you don’t know what’s going in or what’s going out. It can start almost too good to be true where they are so infatuated with you, but it turns into a lot of control.” 

She also said another sign of an abuser is someone who acts one way with their domestic partner and a completely different way with family and friends around. She also said to be wary of people isolating themselves.

“If someone can be one way around you and a completely different way around your friends and family, so you know they can control their behavior because they do it around other people,” she said. “As far as signs on the outside, looking in, are they isolating? Are they no longer hanging out with their family or friends? An abuser may want to limit your supports because that makes it harder to get out if you are estranging yourself from your family and friends. 

Sellin also said she encourages abuse victims to have a safety plan in place before they leave the abusive relationship because that can be the most lethal time for a victim.

“Deciding to leave someone can be the most lethal time in a relationship,” said Sellin. “So we really want to encourage people not to do it alone. Please reach out. Just because you reach out to us, we aren’t going to force you to do anything, to leave if you are not ready, but we are going to try to be sure that we can get a safety plan in place. So you do have resources, people you can contact, a place you can stay, but sometimes people just want to say, ‘this is happening. What do you think?’ So just reach out to talk it though.”

To watch both episodes of the TV3 domestic violence series, check out their YouTube page.

And if you have any questions about domestic violence or are seeking to leave an abusive relationship, reach out to the Lakes Crisis and Resource Center or Stellher Human Services to speak with a counselor directly.