Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

Domestic Violence Awareness

October20

dvribbonAs I have each October since I started blogging, I will remind you that October isn’t just Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

85% of domestic violence victims are women

The cost of domestic violence in health related services and lost productivity and earnings approaches $6 BILLION every year

1 in 4 (25%) of women has experienced some form of domestic abuse in her life

1,232 women are killed each year by an intimate partner

Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women

Approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the US.

Domestic violence is one of the most chronically under reported crimes.

It starts early: 1 in 5 female high school students report being physically or sexually assaulted by a dating partner.

THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE at 1-800-799-7233
THE NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE AT 1-800-656-4673
THE NATIONAL TEEN DATING ABUSE HOTLINE AT 1-866-331-9474

cycle

powercontrolwheel1

Educate yourself.  Reach out to anyone you fear might be in a dangerous situation – even if you just let her know you are there if she needs you.  Talk to your children about behaviors to look out for in dating relationships.  Domestic violence festers in silence – SPEAK OUT! SPEAK UP!

Violence UnSilenced gives women a place to share their story and sheds a light on what is often a dark secret.


posted under political
7 Comments to

“Domestic Violence Awareness”

  1. On October 20th, 2009 at 12:39 pm gardenia Says:

    Thank you for speaking out on this subject. and for educating us on this very important topic.

  2. On October 20th, 2009 at 1:02 pm ale Says:

    I have just been discussing this with one of the Maya leaders I work with. She’s enraged about a little girl who has shown up beaten up at the environmental girls’ clubs we run. She’s been to the girl’s house to try to talk to the parents but the father is never home…. The girl’s teacher had tried, too. The little girl is only 8!!!! it’s a far off community and the father is a former militia member, so it is a tough situation. Hard to imagine how many of these cases exist in Guatemala and the world.

  3. On October 20th, 2009 at 3:36 pm maggie, dammit Says:

    Thank you so much for including Violence UnSilenced in this informative post, and for speaking out about domestic violence! I appreciate it so much–we all appreciate it.

  4. On October 21st, 2009 at 5:14 am Purplesong Says:

    Thank you for speaking out on the subject and for including the wheels. The more of us that do, the more awareness we have. Eventually, the more healing.

  5. On October 21st, 2009 at 9:20 am nora Says:

    Thanks Michelle. I see it regularly with students both from parents and from boyfriends. We have a resource number and a protocol to work with students, but so often we find the same women in the same kinds of relationships repeatedly.

  6. On October 21st, 2009 at 1:06 pm Julia Says:

    I just want you to know that I think you rock – but them – you should already know that by now:)And I thought of you today as i crusied through the chick-fil-A drive through:)

  7. On May 6th, 2014 at 2:44 am Gynexol chest sculpting cream Says:

    With 90% of the cases in teenage boys for instance, so you can get
    rid of if you’re willing to put in a bit of work.
    Sometimes treatment gynecomastia however, Gynecomastia is caused by excess fat or adipose tissue migrating to the breast tissue in boys or men,
    there is some kind of medication that has this as a side effect.