Show You OU COULD BE E NEXT EXT Laree Mecham Contributing Writer President Bush reminds us that October is Domestic Violence Awareness month Education and awareness campaigns campaigns campaigns cam cam- throughout the month will highlight this disturbing and preventable preventable preventable pre pre- pre pre- epidemic Attorney General John Ashcroft John Lynch of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and others are appearing in 15 second and second 30 television ads to discourage domestic vio vio- vio- vio lence Ashcroft said Im challenging ing men across America to take the pledge against domestic vio vio- vio- vio lence The Justice Department announced a city 12 pilot program program program pro pro- gram of family justice centers to provide medical services law enforcement help legal counseling counseling counseling counsel counsel- ing housing assistance and other related services Most of these services are currently currently currently cur cur- provided in multiple loca loca- The 20 million project might be expanded if it proves successful The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control refers to the problem as Intimate Partner Violence primarily targets women On average more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends r. r r a 4 Photo courtesy of w in this country every day Women ages 20 to 29 years old are at the greatest risk of being killed by an intimate partner In 2000 intimate partner homicides homicides homicides homi homi- accounted for percent of women murder victims and less than four percent of murdered murdered murdered mur mur- dered men killed 1247 women and men that year The Family Violence Prevention Fund estimates incidents incidents incidents inci inci- dents of domestic violence in America range from one million to three million annually One in three women world worldwide worldwide worldwide wide has been abused by a boyfriend or husband Many of those incidents go unreported and some countries silently co condone con condone con con- done this behavior Sadly 35 million to 10 million million million mil mil- lion children witness some form fonn of domestic violence each year many of them are abused also come from all cultures cultures cultures cul cul- tures professions and ties However some characteristics tics fit the general profile of a A may appear successful successful successful suc suc- but has low self A blames his violence violence violence vio vio- lence on circumstances such as stress a bad day alcohol the victims victim's victims victim's victims victim's vic vic- vic vic- tims tim's behavior etc A may be charming channing between periods of violence Warning signs of a potential may include possessiveness possessive- possessive ness jealousy cruelty bad temper temper temper tem tem- per unpredictability and verbal abusiveness Myriad problems attributed to domestic violence include family family family ly dysfunction poor communication tion skills provocation stress chemical dependency lack of spirituality and economic hard hard- ship These issues may be associated ed with abuse but they are not causes Removing these factors does not end the violence Gaining and keeping control over victims wit without out suffering adverse consequences reinforces the brutal tendencies Victims often think they can prevent intimate partner violence by not angering the abuser Regardless of promises made by abusers to avoid charges being fil filed d or Of rel relationships being lost they do 40 0 not simply imply st p. p this behavior If you see abusive patterns in yourself get help If you or someone you know is in an abusive abusive abusive abu abu- sive relationship seek help For information on local services services services ices call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1 SAFE or visit Another good resource for information on preparing a personal personal personal per per- safety plan can be found at Next week check the Globe for more more information about local resources for prevention and victim victim victim vic vic- vic vic- tim assistance t i hd I |