Who Is My Neighbor? Part II: Domestic Violence

excerpt:

The reality is that no one is immune to domestic violence. It exists in our poorest and in our wealthiest communities, and affects women and men of all colors, creeds, and orientations.
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Here are just a few of the numbers for you:
~ 1 in 4 women report being raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, cohabitating partner, or date at some time in their lifetime.[1]
~ Approximately 4.8 million intimate partner rapes and physical assaults are perpetrated against U.S. women annually, and approximately 2.9 million intimate partner physical assaults are committed against U.S. men annually.[2]
~ In one 24-hour period in 2010, more than 70,648 victims of domestic violence and their children received life-saving services from local domestic violence programs. Domestic violence experts answered more than 23,522 emergency hotline calls. In one day alone, 9,541 requests for services went unmet, largely due to lack of funding.[3]
~ According to data from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), even LGBTQ domestic/intimate partner violence reports rose 15% between 2008 and 2009, and it is a pervasive social problem at a time when LGBTQ-specific programs are losing staff or closing altogether due to the economic crisis.[4]
While this data is some of the most current available, it’s important to remember that, unfortunately, it potentially underestimates the magnitude of intimate partner violence, because domestic violence often goes unreported...  h/t Sanctuary of the Abused

[But while we are cavorting about wearing 'skirts'...how about locking arms [You know sheltering, embracing, loving, protecting, helping, comforting,...let's see, any other ways we can help?]  with those 'getting beat up' because they are women...That might be a 'loving touch', huh?  Oh, no, we 'might get involved' and 'be touched' ourselves!]