The recent article on the initiative by Miller’s Ale House to raise money for the Gabby Petito Foundation presents domestic violence as something that happens exclusively to women.
In reality, this is far from the case. According to a national survey from the Centers for Disease Control, 42.3% of men reported having been victims of physical violence at the hands of an intimate partner at some point in their lifetimes, while 24.6% reported being victims of severe physical violence.
Crime reports from the FBI show that 310 men were murdered by their wives or girlfriends in 2023. Male victims of domestic violence often face gender-related barriers to getting the help that they need.
It is deeply disturbing to see our elected officials make statements in which they present this horrific crime as something that affects only half the population. Clearly, we have work to do here in Nassau County to ensure that all victims receive the support that they need and deserve.
David Golub
Mineola
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/nisvs/documentation/NISVSReportonIPV_2022.pdf
https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/shr
