Domestic violence is defined.
February 20, 2007 (Press Release) --
What qualifies as domestic abuse? According to the website www.domesticviolence.org, it is a person's attempt to control someone in a relationship through various words and actions. Therefore, it can be more than just physical harm to the victim. It can also be verbal threats, constant criticism, isolation from family and friends, and attempts to keep the victim financially dependent on the abuser by cutting off access to funds or employment.
Domestic violence has no economic or cultural boundaries. It occurs in all racial, economic and social groups, including married couples, same-sex partners, senior citizens, and teen and young adult daters. The website www.endabuse.org says that close to one-third of American woman have reported some kind of physical or sexual abuse by a partner; and that the worldwide figure is about the same. However, domestic violence is not just a "women's issue." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while there are more than 5 million occurrences of intimate partner violence against women each year, there are also more than 3 million occurrences of violence against men.
In January, 2006, President Bush signed the Violence Against Women Act 2005, which is designed to reverse this trend by authorizing funds for various programs, including those that provide emergency services for victims, training for health care providers in assisting victims, and the promotion of non-violent solutions to youths, according to www.endabuse.org. However, the money allotted to these programs must be approved yearly by Congress, a step our lawmakers must take to ensure that these critical programs are allowed to flourish. Voters should contact their representatives and tell them to continue to fund these initiatives, and not to let partisan politics interfere with their implementation.
Another useful tool in our nation's efforts to end domestic violence would be the creation of a domestic violence prevention study program for all public and private middle schools and high schools. The curriculum would initiate discussions about a topic that is rarely examined in a society that shies away from controversial subjects. However unpleasant it may be, learning ways to prevent or stop domestic violence is just as important as learning to multiply fractions or construct coherent sentences.
Domestic violence is a serious problem that needs serious solutions. As I illustrated in my 2004 book Amanda Rio, domestic violence can have devastating effects on a family, and if steps are not taken to stop this crisis, the core of our nation will begin to erode. Through education, legislation and open discussions of this issue, we the people can find ways to prevent that from occurring.
Domestic violence has no economic or cultural boundaries. It occurs in all racial, economic and social groups, including married couples, same-sex partners, senior citizens, and teen and young adult daters. The website www.endabuse.org says that close to one-third of American woman have reported some kind of physical or sexual abuse by a partner; and that the worldwide figure is about the same. However, domestic violence is not just a "women's issue." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while there are more than 5 million occurrences of intimate partner violence against women each year, there are also more than 3 million occurrences of violence against men.
In January, 2006, President Bush signed the Violence Against Women Act 2005, which is designed to reverse this trend by authorizing funds for various programs, including those that provide emergency services for victims, training for health care providers in assisting victims, and the promotion of non-violent solutions to youths, according to www.endabuse.org. However, the money allotted to these programs must be approved yearly by Congress, a step our lawmakers must take to ensure that these critical programs are allowed to flourish. Voters should contact their representatives and tell them to continue to fund these initiatives, and not to let partisan politics interfere with their implementation.
Another useful tool in our nation's efforts to end domestic violence would be the creation of a domestic violence prevention study program for all public and private middle schools and high schools. The curriculum would initiate discussions about a topic that is rarely examined in a society that shies away from controversial subjects. However unpleasant it may be, learning ways to prevent or stop domestic violence is just as important as learning to multiply fractions or construct coherent sentences.
Domestic violence is a serious problem that needs serious solutions. As I illustrated in my 2004 book Amanda Rio, domestic violence can have devastating effects on a family, and if steps are not taken to stop this crisis, the core of our nation will begin to erode. Through education, legislation and open discussions of this issue, we the people can find ways to prevent that from occurring.
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