“My boyfriend hits me, and no one knows it.”
This was an anonymous posting online. If you think the behavior that triggered this admission is rare, you couldn’t be more wrong.
A survey done in Woodbury County — a county similar to Dallas County, with a mix of city and rural areas — showed one in five teen girls admitted to having experienced dating violence.
October is domestic violence awareness month. It’s time to speak up for a future without violence. Respect is key to this issue, as is the maturity to see the situation from another point of view.
How would you want your best friend, sister or brother to be treated by someone they were going out with? Be supportive of respectful behavior, and consider using social media platforms to teach future generations to respect one another in all relationships.
Individuals who are in violent or psychologically abusive relationships often feel powerless to remove themselves from the situation – that’s part of the abuse.
Our local Crisis Intervention and Advocacy Center serves victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault and homelessness. They can be reached 24 hours a day at 1-800-400-4884. Their services are free and anonymous.
Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator at the Dallas County Public Health.
