Do I have your attention now?
It's easy to support stopping violence against women in theory, but what about in practice? You need to know that this pandemic is not restricted to developing countries or any particular socio-economic group -- no country or demographic is immune.
A friend and high-powered lawyer told me that he recently had to attend a training aimed at recognizing and dealing with domestic violence. He was astonished to learn about male behaviors relevant to violence against women -- and some things he himself may have been guilty of, simply without being aware of how language, for example, can be a form of bullying and a precursor to violence.
I myself was recently astonished to hear the story of a young woman from Pakistan whose Iranian mother was repeatedly being beaten by her father. As a mere child, Somi Ali reached out to an uncle in South Florida to come and rescue them - and fortunately he did, bringing them to the States.
But Somi did not forget from whence she came. After a graduating from NYU film school and a stint as an actress/model, she forsook the glitzy/glam life and got down to saving women in and around Ft. Lauderdale by creating a non-profit called "No More Tears." So far NMT counts 180 survivors that have been saved through its efforts. They also provide the support services (like dental work, rent monies, driver training) needed for them to be rescued once-and-for-all from their horrendous circumstances.
"C," a woman from Eastern Europe, told of having endured a violent relationship for years because her husband threatened to have her deported with no access to her three children. She referred to Somi as her hero, and asked those who had heard her frightening story to support "No More Tears" so that others can be rescued. Can you help?
In the US, a woman is assaulted or beaten every 9 seconds -- a seriously under-estimated, under-reported and under-treated social problem. We must pay attention. Here is a short video with some on point (international) tips on fighting violence against women
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Look around, pay attention! If you see or hear domestic violence happening, do something about it; don't wait until it's too late and/or your own family falls victim. Violence against women is everybody's business, no excuses!
