Redwood City, Santa Clara, San Jose, S. San Francisco

Love should not hurt

“You don’t deserve to be hurt by your partner,” says Rose (not her real name). “Even if it seems hopeless, you are not alone.”

Not only is Rose a domestic violence case manager for a nonprofit agency in San Francisco, she also lived in an abusive marriage for 25 years. She left when she saw her husband abuse one of their three children. And she doesn’t want to see other women live the way she did, without resources or hope.

Domestic abuse is physical violence including hitting, kicking, or choking. But it also includes nonphysical abuse — when you feel controlled, threatened, blamed, intimidated, criticized, or put down by a partner.

“If you recognize any of these warning signs in your relationship, Kaiser Permanente is a safe place to talk about it,” says Jennifer Normoyle, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist at our Daly City Medical Offices. “We care about your safety. Our physicians, nurses, social workers, and other staff members are prepared to talk with you, help you, and connect you to community resources.”

Here are few ways you can get help:

Join our free drop-in group in South San Francisco. In this group, you can talk about your thoughts and feelings with trained therapists in a safe, confidential environment. No fees or registration are required. Learn more by calling 650-742-2151.

• When: Every Monday (except holidays) from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
• Where: South San Francisco Medical Center, 1200 El Camino Real, Hospital Tower, 3rd Floor, Conference Room A (across from Administration).

You can also:

• Call 911 if you’re in immediate danger. Teach your children how to call 911 in an emergency.
• Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline* at 1-800-799 SAFE (1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY for the deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired).
• Go online and click “Get help.” You can view or print a Northern California Local Advocacy Resource Sheet for help with emergency housing, counseling, safety planning, and more.

*Kaiser Permanente is not responsible for the content or policies of external Internet sites.

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