Contact Information
Framingham State University Police Department
McCarthy Center (Access off Church Street)
100 State Street
P.O. Box 9101
Framingham, MA 01701-9101
Phone: 508-626-4911
Fax: 508-626-4899
TTY: 508-626-4008
Know the Facts
- Abuse is about power and control.
- Violence can happen in all families, rich or poor, young or old, and in heterosexual or homosexual relationships.
- Abuse usually gets worse over time.
- If nothing is done to stop it, abuse can lead to serious injury or even death.
- Abuse takes many different forms such as physical, mental, verbal and sexual abuse.
- Women sometimes batter their partner, but more commonly it’s men who get violent and it's the women who are battered.
- Roommates who batter or fight are also committing domestic abuse.
Warning Signs of Domestic Abuse
A woman who is being battered by a man may:
- Worry that he will be jealous.
- Be afraid of his temper.
- Go along with just about anything he says or does.
- Avoid friends.
- Seldom be seen in public with him.
- Have low self esteem.
- Constantly apologize for his behavior
- Allow him to make all the decisions.
- May drink heavily or use drugs.
A man who is battering a woman may:
- Be very jealous and have a bad temper.
- Have difficulty showing feelings, other than anger.
- Threaten to hurt her, himself or children.
- Criticize and put her down, especially in front of others.
- Believe that women are not as good as men.
- Abuse pets.
- Control all the money.
- Drink heavily or use drugs.
- Throw things at the woman, or hit, shove or kick her.
High Risk Factors
- Past or present threats to kill the victim.
- Use or possession of potentially lethal weapons, such as guns, knives, etc.
- A degree of obsession, possessiveness and or jealousy regarding the victim.
- Violations of restraining orders. Shows little or no worry about the consequences of arrest and jail time.
- Past incidences of violence.
- Past or present threats of suicide.
- Access to the victim or the victim’s family.
- Hostage-taking.
- Depression.
- Mental illness.
- Abuse of alcohol or drugs.
- History of domestic violence.
The Cycle of Violence
- The batterer’s anger begins to build.
- The batterer explodes and acts out in anger.
- A “loving” or “denial” stage often follows.
- The batterer says he is sorry.
Important Numbers
Framingham State University Police: 508-626-4911
FSC Counseling Center: 508-626-4640
Framingham Police Department: 508-872-1212
Women's Protective Services: 508-626-8686
Wayside Youth and Family Support Network: 508-879-9800
Middlesex Domestic Violence Unit Advocate: 508-872-4355 or 508-875-4141
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE
