The National Football League may be decked out in pink for their annual Breast Cancer Awareness crusade, but October also puts another preventable occurrence in the spotlight. October is also dedicated to preventing domestic violence.
Domestic violence is a problem in Minnesota and across the United States. At the local level, at least 16 women and two men were killed in Minnesota at the hands of domestic violence in 2014. Since 2010, 93 women and 13 men have lost their lives to domestic violence in Minnesota. Wives and girlfriends were the most likely to suffer from domestic violence, but husbands and family members were also at risk. It can also be difficult if you are an undocumented immigrant who also is experiencing domestic abuse as many believe they have no rights when it comes to reporting domestic violence. If you bellieve you are the victim of domestic abuse, there are legal organizations that can help, you might be interested in can an illegal immigrant file a domestic violence claim?
Numbers at the national level are even more concerning:
- 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime
- 1 in 10 women on college campuses will experience domestic violence
- More than 60 percent of domestic violence incidents happen in the home, which is supposed to be a safe place
- 20 people are abused by an intimate partner every minute in the US
- More than 3 million children witness domestic violence each year
- Children who intervene during situations of domestic violence are more likely to be abused by a parent or guardian
- Without help, girls who witness domestic violence are more likely to be abused later in life
- Without intervention, boys who witness domestic violence are more likely to become abusers later in life
Help is Near
Domestic abuse isn’t just physical abuse. If a spouse or family member constantly belittles or verbally abuses you, that too can be considered domestic abuse. Thankfully, help is near. If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic abuse, please help them get in contact with a support program. Here are some helpful links:
Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women
Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project
Minnesota Day One Crisis Services
24-Hour Domestic Abuse Support Hotline (866) 223-1111
For more information about National Domestic Violence month, check out the campaign’s official website, the National Network to End Domestic Violence. There you’ll learn about action week, which begins October 19, and how you can get involved. Purple is the official color of domestic violence awareness, and we will be wearing purple throughout the remainder or the month the show our support. We hope you do the same.
