Return to Main Menu

Health care providers encouraged to help For information on domestic violence in South Carolina, visit Angela Raney at the Wellness Wednesday booth from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Children’s Hospital lobby.  A crime affecting people from all backgrounds and walks of life, domestic violence is everywhere. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) even considers it an epidemic. The health care community is urged to take notice.   The problem is recognized not only by the CDC but just about every major governmental agency in the United States, including the departments of Defense and Agriculture. Recent years have seen multiple pieces of legislation brought before Congress regarding  domestic violence and policy.   Despite all the attention, the prevalence of domestic violence continues to increase. South Carolina has the unfortunate notoriety of being  No. 1 in the United States in the number of women killed by men, and No. 3 in the nation in overall domestic violence rates.   According to the Sept. 25, 2005, South Carolina State House Report, 36,000 annual incident reports of domestic violence are filed with South Carolina authorities every year and these are just the ones that have been reported. Many cases go unreported, including those in the growing Hispanic population in South Carolina and other parts of the country.   A woman in the United States is beaten by her husband or boyfriend every 12 seconds. In the brief time it takes to peruse one of the millions of domestic violence Web sites, 30 women may have been beaten, raped, tortured or killed. Research conducted by the U.S. Surgeon General’s office found that the No. 1 cause of injuries to girls and women ages 15 to 54 is domestic violence. That is more than cancer, car accidents and muggings combined. Domestic violence affects everyone, not just women. It can affect domestic partners of any gender, as well as children who are physically abused or suffer the psychological trauma of witnessing abuse and violence. Domestic violence calls also are considered one of the most potentially dangerous calls a law enforcement officer can respond to.   As bad as this all sounds, there is hope and there is help available. As health care providers, don't  be afraid to look for the signs of domestic violence. Be willing to ask the questions that identify the individuals who live with this curse and show them there is a way out. Editor's note: The preceding column was brought to you on behalf of Health 1st. Striving to bring various topics and representing numerous employee wellness organizations and committees on campus, this weekly column seeks to provide MUSC, MUHA and UMA employees with current and helpful information concerning all aspects of health. Visit http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/health1st. Friday, Sept. 21, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.