Something that shocks me....
- October 5, 2008 at 9:06 PM by snowflake9903
- 65 Comment(s)
- 1920 Total Views
October is breast cancer awareness month. It's everywhere. Everything is pink - even the bakeware at Target. It's great to raise awareness for such a wonderful cause, but what shocks me are the things that get pushed to the back burner in our rush to push the cause du jour.
Here's what's real - from the American Institute on Domestic Violence:
*85-90% of all domestic violence victims are females.
*Over 500,000 women are stalked by an intimate partner each year.
*5.3 Million women are abused each year.
*1,232 women are KILLED every year by an intimate partner
*Domestic Violence is the leading cause of Injury to women.
And yet, where are the purple ribbons? The purple pages here on the Cafe? The purple bakeware at Target? Except for those of us who are survivors, you really don't see people talking about it. Domestic Violence is the silent epidemic. Well my sisters, I say we should be silent no more!!
In the three years that I worked with victims of domestic violence in South Florida, I saw things that are almost impossible to imagine. Women who had been beaten to within an inch of their lives, stabbed in the eye, one woman had her breast biten OFF. Yes, OFF. And all of this was considered a misdemeanor because the perpetrator of these heinous acts was a man who professed to love them.
I watched women and children, entire families and worse - futures shattered by violence.
Real love doesn't hurt. It isn't cruel or jealous for jealousy's sake. Real love never raises a hand in anger - NEVER. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship - please know you are not alone. There is help out there!
Please call the Domestic Violence Helpline at 188-799-SAFE. Help stop the silent epidemic!
I'm a survivor - 10+ years and counting. You can be a survivor too!
Tags: shocking, domestic violence awareness month, domestic violence
- Written by snowflake9903 on October 5, 2008 at 9:06 PM
- 1920 total views
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Comments:
Voted pop.....so sorry that you have gone through such a terrible thing. Grateful that you ARE a survivor.....thank you for this post.
What about the women who live daily not so much with the physical abouse but the verbal and emotional abuse. I agree 100% with - but I also want to shine a light on those that live as their souls die slowly and painfully. Any sort of domestic violence... ANY should be recognized.
Thanks for the reminder my brother-in-law lost his sister 2 years ago this October to domestic violence. In one of his rages he stabbed her to death as their 3 young teenagers hid and then he shot himself to death. It's something you don't think will ever happen to someone you know. She was too great for her life to end so terrible. What can I do to help with awareness?
you are so right! this is a very important cause & one which demands attention. i'm all for the purple ribbon. no one should have to suffer this way!
I agree too.. we need to recognize all!! Thanks for sharing! Many blessings!
Another survivor of Domestic Violence here giving you a standing ovation! 18 year survivor ... but the scars, ones that are visible and those that aren't so visible, are still there even though they have faded over time.
Thank you Snow for sharing this ... sharing a bit of yourself ... and making all of us aware of this important issue. We forget that October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
http://www.ncadv.org/takeaction/DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth_134.html
I think there isn't as much of a big deal made about domestic abuse because it is not something anyone wants to think about. I mean with cancer, any kind, who can you blame? And the risk in helping is nil, people can give money, time and whatever and feel like they have some control over it. Where as with domestic violence, physical or mental/ emotional, there is a feeling of helplessness that goes along with it. You can still donate money and time and whatever but now there may be children involved along with the one being abused and there doesn't seem to be anything physically you can do. And there are all kinds of questions that go along with it too. Say you see someone being abused. Do you do something about it or do you not because it may make the situation worse.... I would definitely do something about it and I have done something when I've seen it happen. I am a survivor of this too. 9 years... And there were times I wished someone would get involved even if it was just to call the police....
Anyway, I agree with you Snow... Didn't mean to preach....
Welll....Domestic violence support should be recognized more.
But so should heart disease being that it's the #1 killer of females. Not Breast Cancer or Domestic violence.
As someone who has suffered domestic abuse AND has a family history of breast cancer (my great grandmother, grandmother, mother, and aunt all lost their lives) I can say that both causes are equally important.
It irritates me to no end when people complain about certain causes getting more attention than others. If you feel that the cause that you support is not getting enough awareness that do something about it. Plan fundraisers, foundations, design awareness bakeware, etc.
I am not trying to offend anyone here, this is just my thoughts on the subject.
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Oh Snow, I never really thought about it that way, but I think we should all add purple ribbons to our pages. Tomorrow I will be fixing mine :) TY again for opening my eyes to something I should have thought of.
navywife6 Oct. 5, 2008 at 9:09 PM