Tea and Empathy: 3 ways relationship violence affects you every day

by Diane McDaniel Rhodes, former Chief Program Officer at SafePlace

Relationship violence affects our society, our town, our neighborhood and affects you. I encourage you to take a moment this week, perhaps with a cup of tea, and think about the ways relationship violence touches you.

•  1 in 4 women are abused in their lifetime. You or the women you love are afraid to be outside after dark.
• In the U.S., healthcare costs associated with domestic violence total $5.8 billion annually. When you pay high insurance premiums and co-pays you are paying in part for this care.
• Loss of job productivity due to domestic violence costs $727.8 million every year. When someone you work with calls in sick because of violence in their home, you have to do their work and don’t know why.

When I talk to a group of people about relationship violence I know there are more than just a few survivors listening in the audience. How could it be any other way? I also know when I’m in the grocery store, the library or the movies there are more than just a few survivors there shopping, reading or watching as well.