Statistics tell a sobering story: A woman is beaten every nine seconds, children are present at an average of 1,712 incidents of abuse, 70 percent of child witnesses are also victims and three or more women are murdered by their boyfriends or husbands everyday in the United States.
Although the majority of people associate domestic violence with women, anyone can be a victim.
That’s why October is designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and how citizens must stop this abuse.
Unfortunately, with the many instances of domestic and sexual violence, the victim may also become a murder statistic.
We have heard of stories of those who either lost their lives or were seriously injured by an abusive partner. Those who were lucky enough to survive a physical attack, however, still have emotional scars to show from the abuse. They may recover, but they will never forget.
And in a number of cases, children involved in domestic violence squabble also experience the nightmare of seeing two adults physically and/or emotionally batter each other. Children may also carry scars for a lifetime.
Once again, statistics reveal that three or more women are killed each year either by husbands or boyfriends. But the victim may not necessarily be female. According to Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada’s attorney general, abuse comes in many forms, either between husband and wife, girlfriend and boyfriend or same sex couples. In many cases, Masto said it is the dominant partner who chooses to exert his or her power by many means to include physical, emotional, verbal, spiritual, financial, homophobic based, immigration based or threats of destructive acts.
Domestic violence is everyone’s business.
Nevada, unfortunately, has risen near the top in another unflattering national survey. The Silver State continues to be among the top five states with the highest number of females murdered by males. In most cases, the individuals involved in these incidences knew each other.
The Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence encourages citizens to work together to stop these incidences, either by contributing money or clothing to local shelters, volunteering time to a program that aides abused individuals, talking to children about relationship violence, offering support to a victim or getting the word out that domestic violence is not OK.
In Fallon, people who want to help stop domestic violence can call 423-1313.
There is no reason why another individual must endure domestic or sexual violence from another.
We encourage everyone to take a role — however small or large — in stopping domestic and sexual violence, not only here in Fallon but also in every community in Nevada.
Editorials are written by the LVN Editorial staff and appear on Wednesdays.