It might seem counter intuitive, but the truth is that a recent
report showing high per-capita rates of domestic violence calls in
South County is a good thing.
How can that be?
It might seem counter intuitive, but the truth is that a recent report showing high per-capita rates of domestic violence calls in South County is a good thing.
How can that be? It’s because those numbers show that local domestic violence victims are seeking help by calling police and that our police agencies are doing a good job of reporting the domestic violence calls they receive.
In many communities, domestic violence victims don’t feel comfortable – for a wide variety of reasons – calling police. But calling police is the first step to getting help and breaking the cycle of abuse. In many communities, police don’t want to report domestic violence incidents. But accurate reporting of domestic violence is important for a clear understanding for the problem.
A Santa Clara County grand jury report, using statistics provided by local police departments, showed that in 2005 Morgan Hill averaged nearly seven domestic violence calls per 1,000 residents, the highest per-capita rate in Santa Clara County, and Gilroy averaged about 5.5 calls per 1,000 residents, the third-highest rate.
Experts say that the high rate of calls doesn’t necessarily mean domestic violence has increased in South County. Instead, it’s very likely that the calls reflect society’s increasingly less-tolerant attitude toward domestic violence, our increased housing density that makes it harder for batterers to remain anonymous, and better police reporting practices.
But despite these cultural shifts, clearly we have not eliminated domestic violence. As a nation of immigrants, we have to educate those who join our society that domestic violence is unacceptable.
This message needs to be accepted by all members of our community, no matter what their ethnic or social background. We must teach batterers better anger-management techniques and hold them accountable for the damage they cause.
But experts tell us that the key to ending domestic violence is breaking the cycle of abuse. Community Solutions offers a program to educate teens about domestic violence. We need to make certain that it is fully funded so that every South County adolescent can participate in this important program.
Programs must be offered to children who grow up in homes scarred by domestic violence. They need to see better models for handling anger and frustration and receive therapy to mitigate the damage done by living in a violent home.
Finally, the report showing addressing domestic violence call rates has one more benefit: It has us talking about an issue that many would prefer to keep hidden.
By keeping our focus on the issue and continuously working to break the cycle of abuse, we greatly reduce the incidence of domestic violence in South County.
