Each year in the U.S., women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner related physical assaults. Men are the victims of about 2.9 million intimate partner related physical assaults. The numbers have not increased over the past years but they have not decreased either and are still unacceptably high. Why?

At the Injury Center, we are committed to the primary prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV). It is only when men, women, and children are safe in their homes with family that they can thrive and live their lives to their fullest potential. Our success depends on addressing factors that support IPV at each level of the social ecology-individual, relationship, community, and societal.

We have been able to achieve unprecedented levels of social and political will necessary to support research on the etiology and maintenance of IPV to guide development of prevention and treatment programs and strategies. However, we need to strengthen and increase public and community receptivity to the prevention of IPV.

It is hard to imagine that anyone would consider violence an acceptable behavior. However, even when such behaviors are labeled as wrong, cultural attitudes and beliefs may create social atmospheres conducive to and tolerant of such behavior. Think about the words to the songs on your kids’ iPods or the video games they and their friends are playing. Is their social environment reinforcing the message of respectful, non-violent relationships? How will these future women and men know what it takes to create a healthy, respectful relationship?

We need to create a tipping point so that IPV is not tolerated by anyone in any community. You can play a crucial role in guiding the kids in your life into positive relationships as they grow older—by teaching them about respect, showing them how to deal with conflict, and setting an example of how to build healthy relationships. By starting a conversation about relationship abuse, your actions demonstrate that this is an issue that can be discussed thoughtfully and openly. It’s never too early to start.

Send me a comment today.

Posted by: Ileana Arias, Wednesday, Oct 15, 2008, 03:30 pm ETT