Crosses draw attention to domestic violence
Caring House display in IM remembers the lives lost, calls for a search for answers
IRON MOUNTAIN — Caring House is displaying crosses that represent the number of deaths due to domestic violence in the state in one year.
“The display gives our community the opportunity to remember the lives lost, search for answers and raise awareness so that domestic violence is no longer tolerated in our communities,” said Cheryl O’Neil, Caring House executive director.
Each day in the U.S., three women are murdered by a current or former intimate partner, according to Bureau of Justice statistics. One in five homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner and over half of female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.
The annual National Network to End Domestic Violence report details the unfortunate fact that in Michigan there were 53 domestic violence deaths for one year, averaging more than one death per week, ranging from babies to senior citizens.
“For every homicide counted in this report, there are many thousands of domestic violence victims who, while thankfully still alive, continue to live with the terror of domestic violence,” O’Neil said.
This year’s Domestic Awareness Month theme is “Every Child Deserves a Safe Home.”
About 5 million children witness domestic violence each year in the U.S. Children from homes with violence are more likely to experience significant psychological problems.