October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Here are a few domestic violence facts from Click to Empower:
- Each day in the U.S., three women die as result of domestic violence.
- More than one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
- More than three out of four Americans know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence.
My mother was a victim of domestic violence and by extension so were my sister and I. When the fighting would start, we would curl up in our beds hoping that our mother would be okay. Sometimes, we would run to neighbors’ homes and ask for help, but no one wanted to get involved in domestic disputes. Some of the neighbors literally slammed the doors in our faces.
I can still hear the shrieks and see the violent images. They haunt me. I never want another child to experience this horror. Nor do I want another woman to experience the pain my mother did.
That’s why I want to make plea to all fathers. We can prevent domestic violence by taking the following actions:
- Love and respect your wife. Never abuse her in any way.
- Talk to your children about healthy relationships. More importantly, demonstrate it daily.
- Teach your sons to always respect women and to never lift their hands in violence against them
- Tell your daughters how beautiful they are and how much you love them. Your love and nurturing will build her self-esteem.
- If you know other men who are abusers, confront them and offer to seek help.
- If you are an abuser, stop the abuse and seek help now.
Fathers, we are the key to ending domestic violence. Our awareness and leadership will empower our daughters and guide our sons in the right direction. Think about it. Would you want your daughter to be a victim of abuse? Would you want your son to be an abuser?
If you need other resources, you can visit the following websites:
I pledge to do my part to end domestic violence. Will you do the same?
Stay Strong,
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