Physical violence is the most visible but is only part of the story.
Verbal and sexual abuse are often considered the most permanently damaging, and verbal is the most prevalent form of domestic abuse. The battered woman's fear of serious injury or death for herself or her family and her fear of being unable to support her family economically continue to trap women in extremely violent and dangerous situations, particularly when children are involved. Thousands of battered women's programs across the country work to provide emergency shelter and other service for violent families. In Nevada, there are 13 such programs with a variety of services. Safehomes provide similar services with a volunteer family in the community.