Fight domestic abuse

Kudos for placing domestic abuse and incivility at the forefront of public debate in your editorial goals for 2004!

Those of us who volunteer extensively, advocating for abuse victims and for the mentally ill, have long known abuse is the most common environmental trigger for depression. Depression in turn is the trigger of most suicidal ideation.

It would be civil for abuse prevention agencies to point out that men die from suicide more than women, and children are the highest abuse-suicide risk. Dr. Todd Allen stated a desire for domestic abuse screening of all who come into the ER.

It would be civil to acknowledge that in many areas, men end up in the ER for domestic abuse more than women.

It would be civil to recognize domestic abuse as a human problem, not a gender problem. Men and women can only fight abuse effectively together, without prejudice. Children suffer the most.

Tom Miller

Smithfield