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I hope that the wave of awareness now taking place across the country regarding the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment in our society will translate into a willingness to look at our ongoing plague of domestic violence in a new light. For far too long DV victims have been ignored, doubted and even condemned for outing their abusers. Over 1,000 women die every year in this country at the hands of their abusers. Those of us lucky enough to break away face great difficulty moving forward after our lives have been torn asunder. Abusers are largely not held accountable for their crimes and victims remain feeling shamed. This must stop. Victims need assistance, not stigmatization. If you know someone suffering under the dark shadow of another, please step up, step out, and ask what you can do to help.
