DOVES
was founded in 1982 by the Soroptimist of Big Bear Valley
after a community survey identified domestic violence as
a significant problem. In 1985 the organization was formed
as a separate non-profit. Today the issues of domestic violence
continue to be misunderstood by many people. It isn't surprising
that family violence is one of the most difficult social
problems to deal with. Even today, we continue to see what
goes on within the home as private. This would be a reasonable
assumption if all families behaved in a non-abusive manner.
Unfortunately the victims of domestic violence are most
often the weakest members of the family unit: women, children
and the elderly. They often do not have a voice that is
heard, or the threats of speaking out are even more terrifying
than what is already being endured.
The damage caused by domestic
violence has far reaching effects that impact all of us, if
only indirectly. 92% of prison inmates report having been
abused as children or witnesses to abuse. Nationwide, 27%
of police fatalities occur while on response to a domestic
violence call. The American Medical Association has declared
that a woman is most at risk of injury or death in her own
home from her own partner.
There are no easy answers to
the cause or the resolution for the increase in violence in
our homes and on our streets. There is a real need for continued
education in our schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies,
and in the medical community. There is much that can be done
to make significant changes in this area, but it truly does
require an effort on all our parts. It is unacceptable to
consider that a woman is beaten every 15 seconds in this country.
