Stomp Out Domestic Violence.  That was the theme at the Purple Passion Fashion show that I attended this week-end.  It was wonderful seeing so much diversity among the models, and the community coming together for this worthy cause.  

• Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten.

• Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. Most often, the abuser is a member of her own family. 

• Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.
•  Studies suggest that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually.

• Nearly 1 in 5 teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a breakup.

• Everyday in the US, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.

• Ninety-two percent of women surveyed listed reducing domestic violence and sexual assault as their top concern.

• Domestic violence victims lose nearly 8 million days of paid work per year in the US alone—the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs.

• Based on reports from 10 countries, between 55 percent and 95 percent of women who had been physically abused by their partners had never contacted non-governmental organizations, shelters, or the police for help.

• The costs of intimate partner violence in the US alone exceed $5.8 billion per year: $4.1 billion are for direct medical and health care services, while productivity losses account for nearly $1.8 billion.

• Men who as children witnessed their parents’ domestic violence were twice as likely to abuse their own wives than sons of nonviolent parents

Mother 2 Mother is encouraging each of you to Stomp.  You can get involved in so many ways.  You can donate used clothing for women and children to your local Women’s Shelter.  You can donate baked goods or have a food drive to ensure women on the run have food to feed their children.  You can donate a toy this holiday season to ensure the children being housed in a shelter have a great Christmas, and of course monetary donations are always welcome. 

Have you or someone that you know been involved in domestic violence?  Please share how you were able to remove yourself from this abusive situation.  You could help save a life or give someone the courage they need to leave their situation.