On average, the police get a call every minute.
Most instances go unreported. It might be a husband screaming at a wife, a daughter lashing out at an elderly parent, a father punching a disabled adult son or a woman threatening her fearful partner – domestic abuse comes in many forms – but it’s always devastating to those involved. Around one in four women and one in six men are likely to experience such cruelty. Many children grow up scarred by hearing the pain unfold.
Coerced into silence
Some of those families are in our churches, but it’s arguably one of the most hidden problems. People simply don’t feel able to talk. Women are assaulted an average of 35 times before seeking help. Why? Because the abused are often coerced into silence, confused by feelings of love towards the one causing the pain or convinced they wouldn’t be believed. Abusers are equally reluctant to get support: sometimes they are blind to their actions, sometimes they are simply scared of what will come next.
