According to the Violence Policy Center in Washington D.C., Tennessee has the third highest rate in the U.S. of women killed by men in domestic violence incidents. Many more are left with the permanent physical and emotional scars of abuse, including physical, sexual and psychological mistreatment. In 2011, the Knoxville/Knox County dispatched answered nearly 19,500 domestic violence calls, which equate to approximately one call every 30 minutes.
Domestic violence affects all of us regardless of race, age or gender. In the U.S., thirty to sixty percent of perpetrators of domestic violence also abuse children in the household. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the costs of intimate partner rape, physical assault and stalking exceed $5.8 billion each year, nearly $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health care services. The costs also include nearly $0.9 billion in lost productivity from paid work and household chores for victims.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an opportunity to create awareness of the impact, signs and support needed to end this devastating behavior.
The Knox County Health Department rape and violence prevention program provides prevention services, program development and technical support for the primary prevention of rape, sexual assault and other forms of interpersonal violence in Knox County. Click here to learn more.
If you know of someone who needs help, contact the Knoxville Family Justice Center's 24/7 crisis line at 865-521-6336 or click here.
