By Wayne Horne
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Will County Take Back the Night observance takes place on Thursday, October 20 at 5:00 PM at Hufford school at 1125 N. Larkin Ave, Joliet. It marks the 26th anniversary of the vigil and march against domestic violence crimes that have taken place in Joliet and Will County.
What is domestic violence? According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, it is defined as the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse.
Every year, right around 10 million people become victims of domestic violence, which equates to just about 20 people every minute. About 10 percent of domestic violence in the U.S. is against men, but most domestic abuse involves women and children and is perpetuated by a male partner. Those are some pretty big and startling numbers. Women often face this nightmare alone. Support from fathers, husbands, brothers and friends is necessary.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, approximately one in three women and one in four men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. On a typical day, local domestic violence hotlines receive approximately 19,159 calls, an average of approximately 13 calls every minute. Abusers’ access to firearms increases the risk of intimate partner femicide at least five-fold. Law enforcement responding to a domestic violence incident are required to confiscate any firearms they have probable cause to believe were used in the incident.
According to other sources, black women are 35% more likely to experience domestic violence than white women. Those with lower incomes experience domestic violence at higher rates than those with higher incomes. Some studies have found domestic violence to be the leading cause of homelessness among women with children.
Although October is the month of awareness, domestic violence is a year-round problem.
Wayne Horne is a columnist for The Times Weekly – wayneswords@thetimesweekly.com
