Domestic Violence-A Hidden Secret

 I ran across a post I had written when I first started my blog in March of 2011 and it seems like a good place to start my passion for writing about social issues and inspirational topics.  This post goes deep into the soul of a battered woman.  The statistics are staggering and still this remains a topic that most people would like to pretend doesn't exist especially the women who are in this situation.  Some of you might say, "Why don't they leave their abusers?" A question I don't have an answer for.  I think this video and post is a voice for those women who struggle everyday with this "hidden secret"

Domestic Violence-A Hidden Secret

They say a picture is worth a thousand words so, I will let this video speak for itself and just add that according to statistical data obtained from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) domestic violence affects roughly 32 million Americans and this only reflects the number of cases reported.  I am so saddened by this issue that I just had to write about it.  It is a serious problem that does not get nearly the attention it should.  Here is some information that will surely surprise you...it did me.

In the United States 1/3 of domestic violence cases are never reported.  Why?
Could it be shame or a lack of confidence that keeps women from speaking out against domestic violence?  Or, perhaps the inability of resources designed to protect them from this type of violence in making women feel safe in coming forward for help?

The United States Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) defines domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.  This can be physical with threats of violence, throwing objects, harming pets, unwanted physical contact or rape and murder.  Domestic violence can also be psychological involving mental and emotional abuse, economic and social control i.e. controlling victim's money or not allowing contact with friends and family...isolation.

Statistics from the End Abuse Organization states the following:

On average 3 women a day are murdered by husbands or boyfriends.  In 2005, 1,181 women were murdered by an intimate partner.

In 2008, the Center of Disease Control published data collected in 2005 that found women experienced 2 million injuries from intimate partners each year.

Nearly 1 in 4 women in the United States reports experiencing violence by a current or former spouse or boyfriend at some point in her life.

Women are more likely than men to be victimized by a current or former intimate partner.

Women represent 84% of spouse abuse victims and 86% of victims of abuse at the hands of a boyfriend or girlfriend and about 3/4 of the persons who commit family violence are male.

The statistics are staggering and I could go on and on.  One thing is for sure that no one in this type of situation goes unscathed.  15.5 million children in the United States live in families in which partner violence occurred at least once in the past year and 7 million children live in families in which severe partner violence occurred.
2/3 of the majority of nonfatal intimate partner victimizations of women occur at home.  Children under the age of 12 are residents of the households experiencing intimate partner violence in 38% of incidents involving female victims and in a single day in 2008, 16,458 children were living in a domestic violence shelter or transitional housing facility.  Another 6,430 children sought services at a non-residential program.  This is a social issue that merits more attention than it receives.

How is it that in the United States, a country that prides itself on being a world leader in personal freedom and a guardian of human rights can domestic abuse/violence exist?  If the video from the Coalition Against Battered Women: Domestic Abuse does not move you to tears then I don't have a clue what would.

For more info on Domestic Violence http://www.endabuse.org/ and http://domesticviolencestatistics.org .

A Change in the Wind...

I've been thinking lately about changing the direction of my blog.  That's not to say that I dislike the way it has progressed because it chugs along every week with different topics on one thing or another sort of like a hummingbird that flits around the feeder and never really stops moving.

~Image via Google~

I love visiting blogs where people write about their passion.  You can always tell where a person's heart is by what they write about and the images they post.  It is like taking a peek into someone's soul.

It has become harder for me to come up with inspiring posts about decorating, fashion, and make-up and while I have plenty of these posts in my archives non of these compare with those of you have made these topics your life's work.  Those of you who have studied design and thrive on the architecture, placement, and the design of a certain period or style, or those of you in the fashion industry who know the right kind of scarf, shoes, dresses, tops, and jackets to wear with what and of course those of you who re-design, re-work, paint and work with antiques.  All of you are nothing short of inspirational and your creativity comes out in your work.  This is where I fall short because it is not where my passions lay.

My passions lay in social issues and my writing pushes me in that direction.  Life for me is about the children who through no efforts of their own, go hungry or lack the opportunities that are often not afforded to them, the working poor who try to get ahead and somehow always fall short and the homeless.... people who are sometimes looked upon as the throwaways, the ones that have chosen a life on the streets because it seems a safer bet than the shelters offered to them.  This is where my soul takes me...writing about these issues brings out what makes my soul sad, these issues that lay beneath the surface of everyday life, the ones we seldom talk about or want to address.

So, my posts will be taking a turn with posts about inspirational topics and stories... and who doesn't like a good story!  Just like those of you who inspire me with your interior design, fashion, antique, d-i-y and beauty posts, I hope these articles give you cause for pause in your busy days.  That's not to say, you won't see fun and light-hearted posts and the occasional craft or design post to shake things up a bit too but is my hope, that I can through my writing on these topics, shed some light upon and bring some inspiration and hope to those who might somehow feel deserted and left behind.

I hope you will continue to visit and leave comments because I always love to hear what you have to say and your personal views as it relates to the topics I write about.  So, on to the New Year!

~Image via Google~