Don't banish atrocities from consciousness. "Folk wisdom is filled with ghosts who refuse to rest in their graves until their stories are told. Murder will out. Remembering and telling the truth about terrible events are prerequisites both for the restoration of the social order and for the healing of individual victims." ― Judith Lewis Herman, Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline website, "An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a single year." That's a staggering statistic. To make it easier for us to visualize let's apply those single-year statistics to our own communities.
Statistics for Russellville, Pope County, Arkansas:
*12 million is 3.6 percent (.036) of the 331,900,000 population of the United States.
*The population of Arkansas is 3,026,000. That multiplied by .036 is 108,936 in a single year.
*The population of Pope County, Arkansas is 63,789. That multiplied by .036 is 2,296 assaults in a single year.
*The population of Russellville, Arkansas is 29,338. That multiplied by .036 is 1,056 assaults in a single year.
Every year approximately 2,296 friends and family in Pope County are either raped, physically assaulted, or stalked by an intimate partner. There are likely many more that go unreported.
How can we help? Donate money, services, or personal items to a group or organization that supports victims of domestic violence. Find a national or local organization online where you can be of service. Some are listed here.
VOLUNTEER & CHARITY OPPORTUNITIES
National
State
Local
Become familiar with laws designed to prevent domestic violence.
Learn how you can help end violence against women, children, and men.
When We Give We Feel Good! Why? Find out here... Green Drop Charitable Donations. You can make a big impact on the lives of survivors and you'll get all the feel-good feeling benefits in return. Fingers crossed that you will contact the local domestic violence shelters in your area and ask what you can do to help. If you need ideas for what you can do click on this wikiHow website.
Jo
We should always speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Thank you for raising awareness on this heartbreaking issue. Fight on!