It’s a troubling circumstance, complete with troubling statistics.

Friday, October 13, 2000

It’s a troubling circumstance, complete with troubling statistics. In August alone, the county’s Domestic Violence Task Force logged 125 crisis calls to its hotline.

That puts this year’s number over the 627 calls in 1999 and the 351 calls in 1998. The number of children affected? More than 700 last year, and that number will increase this year.

The task force wants you to know that this month – National Domestic Violence Awareness Month – because whether we like it or not, there exists here a serious social problem with heartwrenching consequences.

The consequences affect your friends. They affect your neighbors. They affect families. They affect children. You see, they are all the victims.

On the average, domestic violence occurs seven times before a woman leaves her husband, for example, which can affect everyone from neighbors to the law enforcement agencies and task forces that offer the help.

In fact, that reflects Lawrence County’s task force slogan – it’s everybody’s business.

We live together in communities and that togetherness is a driving force in our lives, even when it comes to domestic violence.

So, here’s what you can do.

Focus on the individual, and don’t turn away, task force officials say.

Report it anonymously because there’s no reason to turn your head. Think how guilty you would feel if you did turn your head and a tragedy occured?

If you have information, or want to know more, contact the task force toll free at 1-888-372-7433. If you’re a victim, the crisis hotline number is 533-7111.