Stopping the Cycle of Abuse

I read in the paper this week that the New York City Health department   released a report on domestic violence in the city. Apparently, nearly half of the women murdered here are killed by an intimate partner (spouse, boyfriend or lover).

It's a staggering and sobering thought, especially when coupled with the fact that many of these women do not file orders of protection against an abusive partner and most do not contact the police when they are hospitalized.

We hear from many women (and men) on the site who are in difficult relationships emotionally, and the first thing we say is that they can find the strength to make it better. In a physically violent relationship, a woman's first priority should be safety. You do have options. You can leave. There are organizations in New York like Safe Horizon that will provide support and protection. There are organizations around the country that do the same—the National Domestic Violence Hotline has links to help in your area. If you know of any other organizations that might be of help to someone, please share them here.

We are committed to helping women lead healthy and whole lives. We've sent some copies of The First 30Days: Your Guide to Any Change to local shelters here in the hope that women might see that even in this darkest place, she can find the strength to change. It's not easy to break the cycle of violence, but it can be done. It starts with us, working together, to make it happen. What can you do today to help someone (or yourself) out of an abusive relationship?