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20 People Per Minute Are Physically Abused In U.S.

en.wikipedia.org

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. A local anti-violence advocate says domestic violence exists in many people's homes and having a month set aside to discuss it is important.

Melissa K. is Domestic Violence Program Coordinator at Tri-County Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. She says people being abused often feel isolated and cut off from people around them. Melissa says it often starts where everything seems fine, but slowly escalates...

"....if it seems to good to be true, it might be. Abusers seem like they're the 'it' person, the one and only, the love at first sight thing. The abuse escalates from control, verbal, escalating into physical violence...."

On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men. She says people subject to violence often don't leave at first...

"....the average amount of time it takes the average person to leave an abusive relationship is 7. It takes 7 times for a person to (be abused) before they leave for good, on average. It's really difficult because they know what they're getting if they're with their abuser...."

Melissa says people new to the community often think there's nowhere to turn for help. She says if someone is trying to control you, you should reach out to get help. Tri-County Council has a hotline staffed 24 hours a day at 800-236-1222 or you can find them online attri-county council. org

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