We have certain societal programmings that we need to break. One of those is "Don't get involved" or "Mind your business".
Here is my FB post from last night:
"My PSA for the evening. When you hear people fighting. Linger. Be fucking nosey. Make sure what you're hearing is just a fight and not domestic violence. I had to call 911 tonight for overhearing a heated argument and then the sound of the man hitting the woman and her crying. I pray to the Gods that the cops took him away because he would not keep his hands off her and would not leave the house. Had I minded my own business and kept walking, I would not have heard him hit her. Please, fight that societal programming that says "don't get involved". Get involved. Save a fucking life."
I cannot stress how important it is to LINGER. We live in a very violent world and a lot of it goes unnoticed and unreported because people do nothing. We need to change this. Our world is so desensitized to violence that the Police tell you to scream "Fire" instead of calling for help because a lot of times you will be ignored. Let that sink in for a minute. PEOPLE ARE SO USED TO HEARING SOMEONE CALL FOR HELP THAT THEY WILL IGNORE YOU. This is not okay. If you are unsure if what you're hearing is domestic violence or just a fight, call 911 anyways. Let the cops show up and handle the situation.
Being involved in violence is a traumatizing experience. The sound of a man hitting a woman is something I could have gone the rest of my life without hearing. It's all I've been able to think about and I certainly did not get any sleep last night. I'm exhausted. BUT, knowing that I stepped in and did something, that I stopped the violence, even for just that night...I will gladly bear the burden of that trauma. And I will do it over and over again should I happen upon those circumstances.
One thing I've been doing to try and ease my mind and cope, is research. Get the facts, get the stats.
FACT: Domestic violence calls are high priority. If you fear for your safety or a loved one, the police will be there in minutes. Why? Because they know the stats.
FACT: Domestic violence calls are some of the most dangerous calls a police officer will face in their career.
STATS:
We need to do better. We need to be better. Save a fucking life.
Citations:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2016/25/responding-domestic-and-intimate-partner-violence
https://www.solgps.alberta.ca/safe_communities/community_awareness/family_violence/Publications/DomesticViolencePoliceGuidelines.pdf
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2018001/article/54893/03-eng.htm
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2018001/article/54893/tbl/tbl3.4-eng.htm
https://www.canadianwomen.org/the-facts/gender-based-violence/
Here is my FB post from last night:
"My PSA for the evening. When you hear people fighting. Linger. Be fucking nosey. Make sure what you're hearing is just a fight and not domestic violence. I had to call 911 tonight for overhearing a heated argument and then the sound of the man hitting the woman and her crying. I pray to the Gods that the cops took him away because he would not keep his hands off her and would not leave the house. Had I minded my own business and kept walking, I would not have heard him hit her. Please, fight that societal programming that says "don't get involved". Get involved. Save a fucking life."
I cannot stress how important it is to LINGER. We live in a very violent world and a lot of it goes unnoticed and unreported because people do nothing. We need to change this. Our world is so desensitized to violence that the Police tell you to scream "Fire" instead of calling for help because a lot of times you will be ignored. Let that sink in for a minute. PEOPLE ARE SO USED TO HEARING SOMEONE CALL FOR HELP THAT THEY WILL IGNORE YOU. This is not okay. If you are unsure if what you're hearing is domestic violence or just a fight, call 911 anyways. Let the cops show up and handle the situation.
Being involved in violence is a traumatizing experience. The sound of a man hitting a woman is something I could have gone the rest of my life without hearing. It's all I've been able to think about and I certainly did not get any sleep last night. I'm exhausted. BUT, knowing that I stepped in and did something, that I stopped the violence, even for just that night...I will gladly bear the burden of that trauma. And I will do it over and over again should I happen upon those circumstances.
One thing I've been doing to try and ease my mind and cope, is research. Get the facts, get the stats.
FACT: Domestic violence calls are high priority. If you fear for your safety or a loved one, the police will be there in minutes. Why? Because they know the stats.
FACT: Domestic violence calls are some of the most dangerous calls a police officer will face in their career.
STATS:
- Intimate Partner violence was the number 1 cause of violence against women in 2016
- More than 93,000 incidents were reported in 2016 and 8 out of 10 victims were female
- 67% of female victims were abused by CURRENT dating partners or spouses
- Of the cases that resulted in homicide, 79% of the victims were female
- 80% of domestic violence cases involve physical force and/or a weapon
- 50% of reported cases involve some form of physical injury to the victim
- APPROX. EVERY 6 DAYS A WOMAN IS KILLED BY HER INTIMATE PARTNER
We need to do better. We need to be better. Save a fucking life.
Citations:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2016/25/responding-domestic-and-intimate-partner-violence
https://www.solgps.alberta.ca/safe_communities/community_awareness/family_violence/Publications/DomesticViolencePoliceGuidelines.pdf
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2018001/article/54893/03-eng.htm
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2018001/article/54893/tbl/tbl3.4-eng.htm
https://www.canadianwomen.org/the-facts/gender-based-violence/
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