I don’t know how true it is in other countries, but in the United States we are big on Valentine’s Day. You only have to walk in any store by the first of February to witness our commitment to this heart felt day of expressing our love for the important people in our lives. Aisles and displays of stuffed animals, boxes of candy, flowers, in a million shades of red and pink. Valentine’s Day is all about love and loving.
So why would anyone want to cast a shadow on this day of love by bringing up domestic violence? Maybe because no matter how much we love this one day, I want to know about the other 364 days of the year. We have a problem 364 days of the year. Actually it is such a big problem that it happens on this special day of love too. We have a serious problem with domestic violence. We are violent toward those we say we love. We hurt each other in private, in public, and in front of our children. We see cuts and bruises and we keep our silence.
The Makers of Memories Foundation have identified:
Top 10 Alarming Facts About How Domestic Violence Impacts Kids
1. 63% of all boys, age 11-20, who commit murder kill the man who was abusing their mother
2. 75% of boys who are present when their mothers are beaten were later identified as having demonstrable behavior problems
3. Children from homes characterized by domestic violence are five to seven times more likely to experience significant psychological problems relative to children in the general population.
4. Domestic violence exposed children are four times more likely to visit the school nurse.
5. More than half of school age children in domestic violence shelters show clinical levels of anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
6. Researchers have linked exposure to chronic abuse and violence with lower IQ scores, poorer language skills, decrements in visual-motor integration skills and problems with attention and memory.
7. Cognitive problems associated with exposure to violence and abuse comprises one of the most direct threats to the developmental task of school adaptation and academic achievement. Read the complete article…
Make this the most loving and significant
Valentine’s Day ever.
Love responsibly.
Find your voice.
Speak out
Against domestic violence.
