(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers.)

By Joseph A. Curtatone

Taking a closer look at notable city data – and interesting numbers.  October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It’s heartbreaking each year to see the statistics about domestic violence, but it’s also necessary so we can support victims of domestic violence in Somerville.

1 in 3 and 1 in 4: Nationally, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner. In Massachusetts, 1 in 3 women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner. As we confront the issue of domestic violence and intimate partner violence, it’s important to remember that it can take many forms including physical abuse, sexual assault, verbal and psychological abuse, and financial abuse. There is no one model for domestic abuse and no singular profile of victims or abusers.

54%: While overall statistics like the ones above give us a sense of the magnitude of domestic violence in our communities, they don’t tell the whole story. It’s important to remember that intimate partner violence impacts all races, ethnicities, gender identities, and every sexual orientation. Fifty-four percent of respondents to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey reported experiencing some type of intimate partner violence. Nearly 44% of lesbian women and 61% of bisexual woman has experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner. For gay men it’s 26% and 37% for bisexual men.

16%: Each year Somerville High School students take an anonymous health survey that includes questions about health, drug and alcohol use, mental health, sexual behavior, and violence they may be experiencing at home or in their relationships. In the 2017-2018 school year survey, 16% of responding students reported receiving verbal or emotional abuse from a family member over the last 12 months. Seven percent said they witnessed violence in their family and 3% reported being physically or sexually assaulted by a date. It’s worth noting that these numbers have been declining since 2008, but they remain concerning.

15: There has been an average of 15 domestic violence related-homicides in Massachusetts each year.  Each year at the City’s Domestic Violence Vigil we read aloud the names of Massachusetts residents who lost their lives to domestic violence over the past year. It’s an emotional part of the ceremony and very hard to get through, but it’s important. We need to remember that behind all these statistics are people. It’s also a reminder that we must continue to offer resources to victims of domestic violence and end the stigma around it so that more people feel they can seek help.

7: Leaving an abusive situation can be extremely difficult. Victims are often tied to their abuser financially, because they have children together, or are too afraid to leave. It takes an average of seven attempts for a woman to permanently leave an abusive home. If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic or intimate partner violence and is looking for help, one resource is the Somerville Police Department’s Family Services Unit, which can be reached at 617-625-1600 ext. 7279. You can also visit bit.ly/SomervilleDVResources for more resources including 24-hour hotlines, shelters, legal services, and resources especially for teens and members of the LGBTQ community.

Not 1 but many: If you are experiencing intimate partner or domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. The number of people available to help and who care is always greater than just you alone. Speak to your doctor, call a hotline, or contact a local support center like Respond. Please reach out to access the support available to you.

Data-based decision making is at the core of how the City of Somerville develops policy and sets priorities. Every day we check the latest 311 stats, and throughout the week we meet for in-depth review of departmental data and city trends. The Data Download column shares some of the data we’ve been reviewing recently, as well as interesting updates. To see more Somerville Data, visit the online Somerville Data Farm at www.somervillema.gov/datafarm.