Women Charged with Domestic Violence

It's not just men who are being busted for spousal abuse. A fair share of women have been pictured on the pages of The Jail Report on charges of criminal domestic violence (CDV).

Here are two examples:

Ashley Odenweller, 32, of North Augusta (top mugshot), was arrested at 2 a.m. this morning and charged with CDV by public safety officers in North Augusta.

Elia Alaniz-Moreno, 26, of Aiken (bottom), was charged last week with CDV.

Women are more often the victims of domestic violence — but domestic violence affects men, too. Domestic violence occurs between people in an intimate relationship. Domestic violence against men can take many forms, including emotional, sexual and physical abuse. It can happen in heterosexual or homosexual relationships.

Because men are traditionally thought to be physically stronger than women, men may be less likely to talk about or report incidents of domestic violence in a relationship due to embarrassment or fear of ridicule.

To break the cycle, experts recommend that the victims start by telling someone about the abuse, whether it's a friend, relative, health care provider or other close contact. At first, a man may find it hard to talk about the abuse. But he will likely feel relief and receive much-needed support.

For specific examples of abuse and more advice on how to break the cycle, click here.