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Domestic violence is not a women’s issue; it is a societal one. While many people believe that DV is not their problem, that it happens to ‘other people’, or for those who simply would rather not be bothered, there is an unavoidable truth that has become abundantly clear: Second hand DV kills. While the majority of domestic abuse does occur within the home, if a woman leaves or even strongly indicates that she will, angry and controlling men often go in search of their victims and take the violence into the public sphere.
Domestic violence is not a women’s issue; it is a societal one. While many people believe that DV is not their problem, that it happens to ‘other people’, or for those who simply would rather not be bothered, there is an unavoidable truth that has become abundantly clear: Second hand DV kills. While the majority of domestic abuse does occur within the home, if a woman leaves or even strongly indicates that she will, angry and controlling men often go in search of their victims and take the violence into the public sphere.
Co-workers can become victims, fellow congregants can become victims, and yes, even children at an elementary school. In a widely shared analysis of F.B.I. data on mass shootings, in 2017 Every Town for Gun Safety reported that “57 percent of the cases included a spouse, former spouse or other family member among the victims — and that 16 percent of the attackers had previously been charged with domestic violence”. (Jane Mayer, ‘The Link Between Domestic Violence and Mass Shootings’ ; [2017] The New Yorker)
Domestic violence is not just a women’s issue. It’s a societal problem that must be addressed, not put on a back burner or dismissed. Find out more and how you can help at:
https://nnedv.org/content/frequently-asked-questions-about-domestic-violence/
