Domestic violence isn"t what we thought we would be carrying as a societal problem into the new millennium. In fact, it's an ancient problem that mere mention of it today as an ongoing crisis should really make our society embarrassed and oppressive. Only with the past decade is our society beginning to realize that we"ve overlooked the stringency of domestic violence. All along we"ve been viewing domestic violence as merely a moral and ethical dilemma, not an obligation. We"ve convinced ourselves that it was a 'private family matter" and not a criminal act. We have told ourselves that some women deserve it, or that they provoked it to happen. We excuse ourselves from the problem, into an uncomfortable but yet acceptable, part of our culture and convinced ourselves it was okay to look the other way. .

             So while we were looking the other way, here"s what has developed. Domestic violence is now one of the leading causes of death among women. Not heart disease, not breast cancer, nor accidental injury but the beating, scarring, terrorizing and often murder. Women in this country are more likely to be victimized by assault, battery, rape, or homicide. Occurring more than likely by an ex or current male partner than all other assailants combined (Campbell, JC). Ten women will die of this crime every day, and every 15 seconds; the men in their lives will beat another women (Campbell JC). The reality is that women are six times more likely than men to be battered (J Am Med Women"s Assoc.). In 90 percent of domestic assaults the man in the relationship is the perpetrator (Campbell JC). We use to see this problem as only belonging to families on the lowest of the socioeconomic ladder. But as examples such as Nicole Brown Simpson demonstrated, domestic abuse occurs across all economic, religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds. .

             One of the highest misconceptions and frustration we hold about victims is why do women stay? Why don"t they just walk out? There are many critical reasons for this.