At Love Heal Grow, most of our clients are survivors of abuse. Sadly, this isn’t surprising as 1 in 4 women have experienced violence by a partner, 7 million children live in families in which severe partner violence has occurred, and 500 women are sexually assaulted each day (source: futureswithoutviolence.org).
As relationship and trauma specialists, we aren’t only therapists, but we also aim to provide awareness, education, and survivor supporting advocacy for our community.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and recently, two pieces of legislation have been signed in California to protect survivors:
- Non-consensual intercourse between married partners is now considered rape (previously, it was legally categorized as less serious).
- Removing a condom without consent from your sexual partner is legally categorized as civil battery.
Policy change is significant because survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault are historically disempowered in when seeking support from law enforcement, the legal system, and even their own friends and family. Stronger legal clarification can give more protection and support to survivors who seek justice or consequences as part of their healing process.
ABC10 recently covered this story, and Dr. Navneet Kaur from Love Heal Grow participated in an interview to clarify the impact of this legislation.
If you are a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault, here are some local resources:
And of course, our therapists are here to provide trauma-informed therapy for healing.
Hi! I'm Megan Negendank, founder and executive director of Love Heal Grow Counseling.
I help hurting, worried couples & individuals heal from pain and create thriving lives & relationships.
You can read more about me or schedule an appointment here: About Megan
