Domestic violence

Domestic violence is a subject that has been in the spotlight recently.

The VintageNOW fashion show in Cape Girardeau, a very successful and popular event, helped raise money for the Safe House for Women -- a vital outlet for women trying to escape abusive situations.

Before that, the story of Jacque Waller held up the issue of domestic violence in a very public way. Jacque was murdered by her estranged husband, Clay Waller, after years of torment and threats, according to her diary accounts. Her sister, Cheryl Brenneke, spoke at the event about what Jacque went through, hoping to bring awareness to domestic abuse issues.

Last week, reporter Emily Priddy wrote a story that shed light on domestic violence statistics in our region and state.

Last year, Priddy wrote, police officers in Missouri responded to 41,494 reports of domestic violence. Cape Girardeau County police responded to 505 and Scott County responded to 659.

The ages of victims who have sought shelter at the Safe House range from 14 to 70. And according to a 2009 federal government survey, 33 percent of women and 28 percent of men have experienced some form of domestic violence.

The VintageNOW event last week raised $43,000 to help abused individuals. That's a tremendous, and much-needed, donation to a worthy cause.

We all wish domestic abuse wasn't a problem, but unfortunately it is.

If you know someone who faces an abusive situation, we'll leave you with these ways that you can help, according to the Safe House for Women and Cape Girardeau detective Debi Oliver:

* Call 911 immediately if you see domestic violence.

* If the abuse occurs in a car, give police the license plate number, a description of the vehicle and its location if possible.

* If you suspect abuse, try to get the victim alone and ask about it.

* Make the victim aware of resources such as Safe House for Women, which can be reached 24 hours a day at 800-341-1830.