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Posted: 3:10 PM Sep 9, 2009
Domestic Violence
It's a national tragedy that impacts entire families: domestic violence. The statistics are staggering. It's more common than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined.
Reporter: pat persaud Email Address: pat.persaud@wowt.com |
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Safe at Home
In Nebraska, there are 50,000 to 60,000 cases of domestic violence each year. It happens across every race, class and socio-economic group.
Here in Omaha, the YWCA's Ellen Freeman-Wakefield says, "It's all about power and control."
Ellen is the chief operating officer of the Y's domestic violence program which offers counseling and a crisis hotline for victims. She says women are usually the victims who ask for help but she says children are also victims. The YWCA also has a counseling program for children who've experienced domestic violence in their family.
Suprisingly, Freeman-Wakefield says she's seeing an increase in male victims of domestic abuse locally. She says, "more women are standing up for themselves and are participating in self-defense programs."
The "Y" is sponsoring a candlelight vigil on October 1 to bring awareness to the problem in our community. It will be at Heartland of America Park on October 1 at 7 p.m.
A crisis hotline is also available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week through the "Y." That number is 345-7273. You can also find our more about the domestic violence services provided at ywcaomaha.org. Just click on "Programs" to find the domestic violence category.
