Domestic Violence & Elder Abuse

What is Domestic Violence?

• Domestic violence is the use of abusive tactics and physical force to obtain and maintain power and control over a partner.
• Domestic violence happens in all sectors of society. It happens to people of all racial, economic, and religious groups.
• Domestic violence can include physical assault, sexual assault, emotional abuse, economic abuse and verbal abuse.
• Domestic violence never stops on its own. Once it starts, it gets progressively worse in frequency and severity.

View power, control and equality examples (PDF).

Victim Assistance

VINE is an automated service that allows you to track an offender’s custody, probation and parole, court, sex offender, or protective order status over the phone or internet. You can register to be notified by phone and email if an offender is released, transferred, escapes, or appears in court; or registered to be notified by phone and email about changes in the status of a protective order or of a registered sex offender.

Who Can Help?

• View important phone numbers and resources (PDF).
• Calvert County Community Resources Guide (PDF)
• Real Time Resources - One Love Foundation:  Live Chat, Text Message, Call a Peer Advocate, Call the Hotline
• Community Education Tools: Videos, Discussion Guides, Handouts
• Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence
• National Domestic Violence Hotline

Safety Planning

• Veterans Violence Safety Planning Guide
• Safety Planning Pages
• Safety Planning with Children
• "Helping Your Children Heal the Wounds of Witnessing Abuse" by Lundy Bancroft
• National Network to End Domestic Violence - Technology Safety
• Facts Victims of Strangulation Need to Know
• Strangulation Assessment Card

Helpful Websites

• National Network to End Domestic Violence
• National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
• Maryland Health Care Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Workplaces Respond to Domestic and Sexual Violence
• S HR M - Better Workplaces, Better World
• Children as an Abusive Mechanism
• Children Exposed to Violence - Safe Start Center
• Charles E Smith Life Community for Older Adults
• National Center on Elder Abuse
• Elder Abuse Brochure

Helpful Brochures

• What is a Protective Order? (PDF)
• Orders of Protection - Maryland (MD) Courts (PDF)
• Extreme Risk Protective Order - District Court of Maryland (PDF)
• It Shouldn't Hurt to Go Home (PDF)
• Personal Safety Planning  - National Domestic Violence Hotline (PDF)
• Are You Hurting Your Partner? - National Domestic Violence Hotline (PDF)
• Understanding Stalking (PDF)
• Stop Adult Financial Exploitation (PDF)