October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

By Adrian Altshuler | October 7, 2014

The news has been inundated with stories regarding famous athletes, celebrities and politicians committing acts of domestic violence on their partners, spouses and children. There is no excuse for violence, but acts committed against loved ones seem especially heinous.

In the hopes of spreading awareness about the horrific nature of domestic violence, we share with you some of the findings of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in 2013:

77,537 – the number of reported cases of domestic violence in Tennessee
55,475 – the number of reported victims of domestic violence who were women
46, 776 – the number of arrests (not convictions) made for domestic violence
7,291 – the number of reported victims who were under the age of 18
1,530 – the number of reported cases involving some level of sexual violence
- 40 – the number of reported cases involving incest
- 27 – the number of reported incest cases involving girls under the age of 18

86 – the number of fatalities as a result of domestic violence

You’ll have noticed that we keep saying “reported cases.” That’s because according to the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, most cases are never reported.

What you can do to help

We encourage you to become advocates for those who cannot advocate for themselves, and to support those who have found their voices. Tennessee is currently ranked 6^th in the country for women being murdered by men, and the statistics indicate that the number may be on the rise.

To become involved, please contact a national, state or local association near you for information. We’ve included some places for you to get started here:

The Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, based in Nashville
Bridges Domestic Violence Center, Williamson County’s only domestic violence shelter
The Domestic Violence Hotline, a site offering guidance, resources and support

We will continue to advocate on behalf of the men, women and children who are victims of domestic violence. If you need help, please reach out to us; we can help you and your children get to safety.