The Queens district attorney estimates that one in three women will suffer domestic violence in their lives. Much of that violence goes unreported and victims live with emotional scars. Victims are often attached to and dependent upon their abusers.
Last week, the city addressed this problem when it opened the Queens Family Justice Center, a $5 million facility that will offer services to domestic violence victims. Representatives from 18 city agencies and volunteers will help abused women and their children deal with emotional and physical trauma.
When necessary, the center will help victims find the emotional and financial support they need to break away from abusive relationships.
The district attorney's office leads the city in prosecuting domestic violence with a 94 percent conviction rate. But this new outreach will bring services to people who need them most.
At the center's opening ceremonies, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, “Hopefully, down the road we can eliminate domestic violence. But nothing that is worthwhile is easy.”
The city should be praised for having the wisdom to take a comprehensive approach to this most difficult and pervasive problem.
