We call it domestic violence, private violence, intimate terrorism. But we generally do not believe it has anything to do with us. In America, domestic violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime. We have not taken the true measure of this problem. And it’s growing with sheltering in place.
Today we’ll explore key stories that explode the common myths — that if things were bad enough victims would just leave; that a violent person cannot become nonviolent; that shelter is an adequate response;
and more insidiously, that violence inside the home is disconnected from other forms of violence.
My personal experience with domestic and other violence is fairly extensive: my father and one of my long-term partners. I made my way out of that story through years of healing practices. So I speak from a place of deep compassion and experience.
Rachel Snyder, author of No Visible Bruises, joins me with tools to educate ourselves and heal this growing personal and cultural problem.