Domestic Violence Is a Silent

Domestic Violence is a silent epidemic, which impacts the health and welfare of more American families than almost any other disease. Despite this, relatively little attention is focused on the issue of domestic violence. For example, though far more women and children are victimized each year by domestic violence, which survivors have described as domestic terrorism, national leaders pay little attention to domestic violence. While the federal government's Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has provided resources to help end domestic violence, representatives still pay little attention to the problem. Even in a major election year, domestic violence has gotten little press, even though one of the presidential candidates repeatedly voted against VAWA.

In addition, the press pays little attention to domestic violence. While attractive victims like Laci Peterson get tremendous press, the reality is that women and children are murdered by their loved ones every single day, after years of torture and abuse, and most of them are never even mentioned by the mainstream press. Communities are silent as well; people are still reluctant to intervene in domestic violence situations, assuming that adult victims have the ability to leave abusive scenarios and that parents should have the right to parent their children without intervention. In addition, neighbors and other potential interveners oftentimes fear the possible consequences of intervening in a violent situation. Finally, American society refuses to publicly condemn domestic violence; Michael Vick received more negative press for dog fighting than did Warren Moon, an even more famous football player, for his domestic violence behavior. With this permissive atmosphere, it is no wonder that women and children still suffer from domestic violence in fear and silence.