With several National Football League (NFL) players accused of domestic violence lately, awareness of domestic violence is resurfacing in the national press.

Even in Hawaii, news of abuse by the police is happening regularly.

According to findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey in the United States, 1 in 6 women experience an attempted or completed rape at some time in their lives. Academy students may be potential victims of domestic violence at any point in their lives.

Senior Minami Inafuku said, “I don’t really believe that I will ever experience domestic violence. I am careful with who I talk to, and all of the people I surround myself with are genuinely compassionate.”

The U.S. Department of Justice defines domestic violence as “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of action that influence another person.”

Since there are no stereotypical characteristics to detect domestic violence in partners, all women can be possible abuse victims. However, suspicions may rise if a partner believes that dating violence is acceptable, is aggressive towards peers, abuses substances, experiences violence in the home or is depressed or anxious, clues to sometimes abusive behavior.

Sophomore Shailyn Wilson said, “I would suspect someone of possibly being an abuser if they always wanted to know where I was and tried to control me.”

In a nationwide survey done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2011, 9.4 percent of high school students reported violence in their relationships within the first 12 months.

Unhealthy behaviors sometimes start early in relationships and can last a lifetime. Name calling and teasing are usually the start of dating violence. Although these actions are often seen as normal or flirtatious in relationships, they could be the beginnings of serious violence.

Once the abuser beings to gain power and control through violence, it is nearly impossible to reverse. Therapy and support groups are essential to change aggressive behaviors.

Victims should feel empowered and confident enough to report abusive behavior, yet this rarely happens as they sometimes feel powerless, ashamed or isolated after being mistreated. If someone is in an abusive relationship, it is paramount for family and friends to take action by alerting family members or the police.

Domestic violence education must begin early. Nearly two-thirds of women who report being raped, physically assaulted or stalked since age 18 were later victimized again by a partner.