Domestic Violence

From a read of the Jackson Free Press today, I have learned some surprising statistics concerning domestic violence. See if these stats seem feasible to you. No offense, but they seem incredible to me.

1. One in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.

2. For homicides in which the victim to offender relationship could be identified, 100% of female homicide victims were murdered by someone they knew in 2003.

3. Only 24% of rape or sexual assault is reported.

4. 40% of gay and bisexual men will experience abuse at the hands of an intimate partner.

5. Fathers who batter the mothers of their children are twice as likely to seek sole custody of their children.

Okay, domestic violence is bad. But to tell me stuff like 100% of murder victims knew their killer is absolutely false and you know it is. You simply cannot make those types of irresponsible statements without hurting your argument. Twenty-five percent of women are going to get the beat-down from their significant other? Damn, the odds are against you ladies, better start looking toward the fairer sex. Or does that mean gay and lesbian folks too?

Only 24% of rapes are reported? Come on, they were not reported, have you got video or something? Did you only interview women at the shelter? Is this study done by Lancet or something?

Forty percent of gay dudes are abused? Try closer to 100% and then tell me the true percentile of gay to straight men. I'm guessing that a whopping 2-4% of the male population is gay. That means a whopping 2-4% of men are abused. I'm not saying that is good, I'm saying that it is not an epidemic where new legislation is needed.

And the last thing about the abusers trying to get their kids is hinky. Why kick your wife's ass and then try to get the kids? Do you think that any judge is going to go for that? Do you simply want to look like an idiot?

Now, I could be completely off-base here, but you tell me if these stats sound right to you and if they help or hurt the debate.