Domestic violence is wrong and should not be happening to any of us. October is domestic violence awareness month. Our hearts go out to victims of such violence. The incidence of domestic violence is under-reported in several communities. Forms of domestic violence include rape and physical assault. Not only could one be assaulted by a stranger, but assaults by intimate partners account for a large percentage of domestic violence reports. Please tell someone if you or a loved one is suffering from domestic abuse. For U.S. residents, you may call the National Domestic Violence Hotline @ 1 800 799 SAFE (7233) 1 800 787 3224 (TTY). The anonymous and confidential hotline is open 24/7. Alternatively, one may call the Safe Horizon Domestic Violence Hotline @ 1 800 621 HOPE (4673). For immediate response to your crisis need on an ongoing abuse you may also call 911. Let us educate our communities on domestic violence.

Please visit the websites below for key information on domestic violence:

·         domesticviolence.org: http://www.domesticviolence.org/ - a domestic violence handbook is available on this website.

·         The National Domestic Violence Hotline: http://www.ndvh.org/get-help/

·         The Feminist Majority Foundation website: http://www.feminist.org/911/crisis.html provides you with National hotlines, organizations, coalitions, State hotlines, resources and helpful sites to help combat domestic violence.

·         The American Bar Association’s commission on  Domestic Violence: http://www.abanet.org/domviol/statistics.html#prevalence

·         Domestic Violence Resource Center: http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61

Questions and comments on this post are welcome. Best wishes to us all…