Fathers Can Stop Domestic Violence

Father's Day is almost here. It will be a joyful occasions for some, and abusive for others. Father's Day represents fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, cousins and sons. It's also a celebration for godfathers, deacons, pastors, doctors, teachers, friends and neighbors. You are guilty by association if you know of men and boys who abuse women and girls. Silence is agreement and participation. Some abusers profess to be Christians, but you can't be a Christian on Sunday and a jerk on Monday. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a world of men to stop abuse. Men do it. Men stop it.

There is tons of information on abuse, websites, books, video and public announcements. Is anyone watching, listening or learning? A Muslim resident of Russia's St. Petersburg has hired killers to rid him of a daughter who disrespected Islamic laws by wearing short skirts. The story was published in MosNews.com. During winter, the girl wore high-necked sweaters and long trousers, causing no problems in the neighborhood, but when spring came, she put on a skirt that left her knees exposed. April 19th in Jackson County, Mississippi, a husband shot his wife in the head. According to the Telegraph.co.uk, miraculously alive after a bullet from a .38-calibre handgun struck her squarely in the forehead passed through her skull and exited through the back of her head, the wife was conscious, but she was confused about what had happened.

Back in December 2008, the Baltimore Sun ran an article predicting an increase in domestic violence with the increase of economic stresses. GM announced they will lay off thousands of people within days, not months or years. GM is one of the big auto makers in Detroit. Job losses and no money can push frustrated men into acts of domestic violence. It's not right or excused, but it happens. As the economy spirals downward, domestic abuse appears to be increasing around the region and the country, advocates and shelter officials say.

Kevin Powell became an accomplished writer, activist, public speaker, and political figure, running for Congress last year. One of his most hard-fought causes is ending violence against women and girls. He collaborates with the United Nations and Amnesty International hosting workshops for men. Mr. Powell is a reformed abuser, who authored many books about his journey. It's been nearly 20 years, as a former abuser, he committed to therapy, healing, and doing the work to not only help women and girls, but also with men and boys of all ages and backgrounds. Abusers can change, and be advocates for change. Powell has been invited across the country to speak about domestic violence. He's appeared on CNN, FOX 5 NY, NBC CH.4 NY, and Hot 97 radio, according to internationalspeakers.com. He recently published a short essay, "Men Can Stop Domestic Violence."

Domestic violence is usually physical as we witnessed from numerous news reports and newspaper pictures. Reconstructive Surgery/Domestic Abuse Line provides free reconstructive surgery for male and female victims of domestic violence. Reconstructive Surgery/Domestic Abuse Line Toll-free: 1-800-842-4546.

The Network La Red offers bilingual (English and Spanish) information and resources for lesbian and bisexual women in violent relationships http://www.thenetworklared.org.

The American Domestic Violence Crisis Line provides safety planning, support services and general information on domestic violence for American women living overseas who are victims of domestic violence Toll-free: 1-866-USWOMEN (International Crisis Line), http://www.866uswomen.org.

medicinenet.com/ states domestic violence has many names - intimate partner abuse, intimate partner violence, and domestic abuses. The site goes on to state that useful solutions for preventing intimate partner abuse include providing economic opportunity, mentors, role models, organized community programs for youth and families, a school environment that promotes prevention of abusiveness in any relationship, and adult family members who are nurturing and who provide consistent, structured supervision. This is how the fathers of the world get involved.