"Man hit female with bat, police say." "Police: Man pushed girlfriend to ground." "Man, 37, accused of choking girlfriend." "Girlfriend assaulted twice, police say."
Those four headlines all appeared in this newspaper on a single day and all on the same page. Unfortunately, such domestic-violence incidents are not unusual around here.
Statistics recently released by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer show domestic violence is a serious concern for Fulton County. The county had 333 domestic-violence incidents in 2009 and 405 in 2010. Not only has the number of incidents gone up, the county also ranks ninth among the state's 62 counties in domestic-violence incidents, as a ratio to population.
Schumer, D-N.Y., is calling for the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act and new programs that would help give law enforcement the resources and training to crack down on domestic violence. The measures would extend grant programs and strengthen law-enforcement efforts.
Effective anti-domestic violence programs are necessary, as is public awareness about the issue.
According to the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, domestic violence is abusive behavior - whether emotional, psychological, physical or sexual - that one person in an intimate relationship uses to control the other. It can include behaviors such as threats, name-calling, preventing contact with family or friends, withholding money, physical harm, sexual assault and stalking.
Parents should talk to their children about domestic violence, and schools should educate youths about the issue. Government should make sure law enforcement has the tools to deal with domestic violence and prosecute cases, and the legal system should hand out adequate penalties to offenders.
There are ways members of the public can help efforts to curb domestic violence. For example, people can volunteer their time at the Family Counseling Center of Fulton County, located in Gloversville. They can volunteer to answer the domestic-violence hotline, help at a safe shelter, take volunteers and their children on outings or help at the Family Counseling Center office.
In addition, people can donate to the Family Counseling Center in support of its domestic-violence programs, which need public and private contributions. For more information on how to volunteer or make a donation, call 725-4310.
We often hear about local fundraising events in support of domestic-violence programs. For example, the "Vagina Monologues," a performance celebrating women's sexuality and strength, will be held Feb. 11 at Fulton-Montgomery Community College. A silent auction will take place in conjunction with the performance. Proceeds will benefit the Family Counseling Center's Domestic Violence Program and the Montgomery County Domestic Violence and Crime Victims Services.