Brutal video exposes partner abuse concerns; October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month doesn't begin for another three weeks, but now might be a good time to begin writing stories, especially in light of recent brutal video of professional football player Ray Rice knocking his then fiance, now wife, unconscious, then attempting to drag her limp body from an elevator, while showing no concern about her well-being.

While domestic violence gets national headlines when it concerns celebrities and professional athletes, it's an issue that is far worse in rural areas, where the number of victims is higher and victims are more reluctant to report the abuse or leave the abuser, often because of financial concerns and the stigma of being "outed" as a victim in a small town, according to information from the Rural Assistance Center. (Charity Sub graphic)

A 2005 report by the Centers for Disease Control says that domestic violence is also linked to long-term diseases, traumas and illnesses, Roberto Ferdman reports for The Washington Post. The report says, "Women who have fallen victim to domestic violence are 80 percent more likely to suffer a stroke, 70 percent more likely to have heart disease, 70 percent more likely to become heavy drinkers and 60 percent more likely to become asthmatic than women who have not."

The 2011 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, which included interviews with more than 16,000 adults, says that 35.6 percent of women and 28.5 percent of men have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Overall, 18.3 percent of women have reported being raped, with 51.1 percent saying the crime was committed by an intimate partner and 40.8 percent by an acquaintance. Of the 1.4 percent of men who reported being raped, 52.4 percent said it was by an acquaintance. Also, 16.2 percent of women and 5.2 percent of men said they have been stalked.