Straying away from the lighthearted nature of the Royal Reporter, this article’s purpose is to bring awareness to a very important social issue: domestic violence.

Domestic violence is violence committed by someone in the victim’s domestic circle which typically includes immediate family members, partners or ex-partners, relatives, and family friends. In a situation of domestic abuse, the victim usually has a close and trusting relationship with the offender.

Many assume that domestic violence is a rare occurrence, but according to the NCADV, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been physically abused by someone in their domestic circle. Christina Vaughan’s ’26 dad, Detective Christian Vaughan from the Domestic Violence Unit, shared, “Domestic Violence is a serious problem that affects every part of society. For law enforcement, domestic violence represents one of the most frequent types of calls for service, and one of the most dangerous and violently combustible situations that an officer might have to deal with.”

Domestic abuse ranges between physical violence, gun violence, stalking, sexual harassment, psychological abuse, and verbal abuse. Some situations may be worse than others, and these situations can often become life-threatening. With that being said, all types of domestic violence, even if considered minor, should be taken seriously.

In many cases, domestic violence involves children. According to NCADV, 1 in 15 children are exposed to domestic violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence. According to the CDC, at least 1 in 7 children have experienced abuse or neglect in the United States.

Exposure to domestic violence as a child often encompasses lifelong effects. According to Childhelp, about 2 out of 3 people receiving treatment for drug abuse reported being abused or neglected as children, and 14% of men in prison and 36% of women in prison in the United States were abused as children, which is about twice of what is seen in the general population. Children who were exposed to abuse and neglect are about 9 times more likely to become involved in criminal activity.

Even if you might not know someone who has experienced domestic violence personally, there are several ways to help those who have. If you want to do something as part of the Rosary community to help, there is a club on campus called Project Crime Survivors. Jeanna Sheremetta ’24, co-founder of this club, highlights some of the ways you can help: “There are several things you can do to help crime survivors receive support. Through the club Project Crime Survivors, we do activities like bake sales to raise money for the non-profit organization called Crime Survivors Resource Center. Another way you can help is directly through the Crime Survivors Resource Center, where you can volunteer during their sponsored events. I have participated in a few like the Halloween Harvest and Pumpkin Carving Night, Christmas Meal Baskets, and the Superhero Run Walk and Safety Expo. These were all such great events, and it was really great to see a smile on the participants’ faces.”

Jeanna also gives insight about the importance of supporting the victims of domestic violence: “Crime survivors face so much mentally, physically, and emotionally. It is important that they receive support and empowerment so that no one feels abandoned or alone, and that every person who is a victim of crime receives the love, respect, and dignity that they deserve.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please reach out to the Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 800-799-7233 or texting START to 88788. People experiencing domestic violence may be afraid or embarrassed to speak up for themselves, so reaching out could potentially be the only way to save someone’s life.