The routine news reports of women and children who are battered or slain by a loved one are just the tip of the iceberg. Behind the news are neighbors, friends or relatives — usually women, children and senior citizens; the most vulnerable targets — who may be suffering abuses at the hands of a person who is close to them. For such victims, confidential help is available, but they must be willing to overcome fear or denial and ask for assistance.

Known as the silent crime — because people are ashamed to talk about it — domestic violence can strike anyone regardless of race, creed, education, or financial status. The problem has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 5.3 million intimate partner victimizations occur each year among women ages 18 and older, resulting in nearly two million injuries and 1,300 deaths. In addition, millions of children each year witness domestic violence, and 2,000 die from abuse.

Long considered a women’s issue, domestic violence also takes its toll on men. About 95 percent of adult males serving jail time were raised as either victims or witnesses to violence at home; and 67 percent of males between the ages of 12 and 18 who are in jail for murder are there for killing their mother’s abuser, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence held a conference in April at New York’s Tavern on the Green restaurant to raise awareness of the issue among men. One of the guest speakers was New York City Commissioner Guillermo Linares of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, who urged men to set an example for children by being “conscious of behavior,” and asking themselves, “How do we, or don’t we, communicate respect for women?” Linares emphasized that both men and women have a “commitment,” to eliminate domestic violence and to “preserve the sanctity of relations and community.”

Also on hand at the conference was New York City Commissioner Yolanda Jiménez of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence, who noted that foreign women run a higher risk of being battered because of cultural differences, lack of resources or fear of deportation. She also announced an “all-language” service at precincts throughout the city to help victims who need translators.

Family Justice Center

Jiménez took the opportunity to introduce the new Family Justice Center, which opened in downtown Brooklyn in July, where domestic violence victims have access to all the services they need under one roof. The first center of its kind, it provides victims with a prosecutor, assistance with filing police and probation reports, access to social services for shelter and housing, and long term counseling — all in their native language, and all in one visit. The center also provides quality child care and is funded in part by a Federal grant.

Since 1994, when Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), there have been dramatic improvements in programs and services available to victims. The law was reauthorized in 2000, but it expired in September. Congress is currently negotiating its reauthorization.