*Written by myself. All stats were found online.
I've been wanting to post about this particular subject for a while now but I've always felt extremely wary of the consequences of doing so and the degree of personal information I wish to display on my blog. However, I've felt like now is the perfect time to get across the message and the cause which I wish to convey as Christmas is often a time of year that we can become complacement and quite self-indulgent.
Whilst the festive period is the season of goodwill and a time many of us will embrace the company of our families it's not as crystal clear for some. During the Christmas period, domestic violence related assault is more prevalent with up to a 1/3 more incidents being recorded than the daily averages. At this current moment in time, it is estimated that at least one in four women in the UK will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime with most incidients going unreported through fear of the consequences. Whilst less than half of incidents are unreported, the police still recieve one domestic violence call per minute in the UK. Therefore, for victims of domestic violence, Christmas can be a heavy burden. The increase in stress levels, abundance of alcohol and togetherness can often spark trouble for families affected by abuse as these can all lead to an increase in violence.
Throughout my life, I've experienced and witnessed domestic abuse first hand and it is something that to this day haunts me but has also helped to shape me as a person. I used to feel isolated, cold and confused but over the years I've come to realise that I wasn't to blame. This is why the latest campaign by the Greater Manchester police is something close to my heart. Their 'End the Fear' campaign is in it's second year and and this year it promises to highlight the increase in violent cases over this period with a particular focus on children and their experiences. National statistics show that children are in the same room or an adjoining room during 75% of domestic abuse attacks. For a child victim like myself, this campaign is a complete victory. When I was younger, there weren't campaigns like this. Domestic violence was hushed up and victims were left to feel alone. Nowadays, people don't have to suffer in silence. If people are reading this that are going through similar experiences I beg you to never place the blame upon yourself and to understand that there is help out there for you. I've posted some links at the bottom of this post for those that would like to have a confidential talk with someone that could help. Please don't go through this alone.
Domestic abuse is often considered a 'taboo' subject but once we break away from that we can really make a difference in people's lives. As you start to think about your new years resolutions and goals for the year why not make it your responsibility to make a difference in someone's life?! This could be by just simply asking someone if they're okay today or by donating a little money to a charity that can be there for people and get them the help they need. I certainly will be.
Thank you so much for reading this post. I hope that it has proved to be of interest to you and has been thought provoking. This in no way signals a new direction for the blog. I will resume with my usual features. However, it's an issue close to my heart and something I wished to discuss with you all.
Refuge (women and children): 0808 200 0247
Mankind Initiative (for male victims): 01823 334244
Women's Aid (women and children): 0808 2000 247
If you'd like to discuss any of the issues raised within the post then please either feel free to comment here or email me at rebeccaalicestevenson@googlemail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment