A Real Pandemic Continues..... and the Band Plays On

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 24, 2011 -- There’s a pandemic in our country, and the death toll continues to mount.
Every day another four women in the United States die not from some rare disease but from domestic violence. On any given day approximately 61,000 victims require services from agencies dedicated to assisting them.
And the band plays on.

Day in, day out, this pandemic continues. It ends or disrupts lives, decreases productivity in the workplace, and accounts for millions of dollars in healthcare costs. In fact, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians, the number one reason females age 15-44 visit emergency departments is domestic violence.
And yet, it is not discussed. We don’t want to acknowledge or talk about it. It makes us uncomfortable. Some of us may be guilty of various forms of it. Some of us may justify it based on our cultural or religious belief system. Some may deny it could happen in our community, congregation, or family.

But the statistics, which are generally accepted to be an underrepresentation of the real numbers, continue to bear out the horrific deaths and incidents. The poor economy and drinking may contribute to the increase that we are experiencing, but they are not the cause. The cause is power and control, plain and simple.
Domestic violence is not only a “women’s issue;” it is everyone’s issue. The victims are our daughters, sisters, mothers, friends, co-workers. They are everyday people who are subjected to emotional, psychological, sexual, financial, and/or physical abuse.... not from strangers, but from their partners!

Where is the outrage? I’ve witnessed more outrage over blown or missed calls during football games. Why do we ignore this blight on our society, maybe shake our head in disbelief or disgust at the statistics, or maybe even rationalize its occurrence, and then do nothing?
Now is the time for good men to stand up and voice outrage over the violence aimed at females and support the cause of ending violence toward women. We need good men to lend their names, their reputations, their support toward this cause.....NOW.

I ask that you join me for SafeSpace’s Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event this October. The walk will be held on October 1 in downtown Stuart, October 15 in St. Lucie West, and October 29 in Vero Beach. All men who are appalled, disgusted, and outraged by what is happening in our society, please join us in making a statement in support of women everywhere. Let’s have all good men make a stand against domestic violence.

abuse     Domestic Violence prevention     fight domestic violence     victims shelters for women     Wa l a Mile in Her Shoes