“In the United States, a woman is raped every 6 minutes; a woman is battered every 15 seconds.” Amnesty International USA
When I was growing up I remember hearing “boys don’t hit girls.” Although I had seen otherwise, I still believed it to be true… or that it should be true. In fact, when I was growing up boys that hit girls were considered “punks” and the other boys didn’t respect them very much.
I wonder if people still say this to their children. I wonder how many people believe and live it…because whenever I turn on the news, talk to someone I know, or read a newspaper the report is opposite of “boys don’t hit girls.” Just the other day I was watching the news (something I try not to do because there’s hardly ever any good news) and I think my blood pressure shot up! I couldn’t believe my eyes. A police officer (full grown man) was punching an unarmed teenage girl! Couldn’t he have subdued her without punching her…because after all, boys don’t hit girls right? Especially not policemen.
I talked to a close family friend who teaches elementary school. Based on our conversation, not only do boys hit girls, at an early age (7) they are raping girls too! These are learned behaviors. Little boys are learning from somewhere that its OK to violate little girls…Are they seeing it in their homes (probably)…Are they seeing it in their neighborhoods (probably)…Are they seeing it on tv (probably, especially if they watch the news)…What happens when these little boys grow up? Do they become police officers?
Violence against women begins early and we have to figure out how to stop it. We cannot sit back and let little girls be victimized nor can we accept or allow grown women to be abused. Boys should not hit girls, hurt girls, or disrespect girls….Neither should men (but that’s something they should learn as little boys).
A man that hits a woman is a man that feels powerless and to regain his power he must strike, dominate, oppress, and/or violate someone weaker (physically) than him…the woman.
“Women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner-related physical assaults and rapes every year.” —National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
How do we stop this? I wish I had the answers. My hope is to at least make people more aware of the problem. Especially people with children. Because what we expose our children to will oftentimes shape who and what they are…. If your child is watching you get your butt kicked every day (or watching YOU kick butt), what impact do you think that will have on them?
“Growing up in a violent home may be a terrifying and traumatic experience that can affect every aspect of a child’s life, growth and development. . . . women who experience physical abuse as children are at a greater risk of victimization as adults, and men have a far greater (more than double) likelihood of perpetrating abuse.” —Family Violence Prevention Fund
According to the National Organization for Women, “Young women, low-income women and some minorities are disproportionately victims of domestic violence and rape.”
Based on the studies by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “African-American women face higher rates of domestic violence than white women, and American-Indian women are victimized at a rate more than double that of women of other races.” I don’t know about you…but I get so tired of hearing about how African American Women face higher rates of stuff…not that I’d wish it on any other race of women but as Black Woman it certainly gets a bit exhausting and depressing even… Something has to change we can not allow this to continue.
EVERY woman deserves to live without fear or abuse. We are human and without us where would any of us be? We must learn to love and respect one another to begin Living Life Abundantly.
Boys Don’t Hit Girls===>Men Don’t Hit Women<===
To get immediate help and support if you or someone you know is being abused
call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
