Northwest Iowa — October is recognized as “National Domestic Violence Awareness Month”, and Cathy Van Maanen with the Le Mars office of the Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence says statistics show one in every three to four women will experience some type of domestic violence in her lifetime.
Van Maanen says domestic violence is a common occurrence in Iowa and it happens to across the spectrum regardless of your income. And victims can be both males and females.
She says many people are showing support for domestic violence victims by wearing purple colored ties, scarfs, or other purple colored clothing. Businesses have also hung purple ribbons on their doorways.
A victim of domestic violence will often return to their abuser. Van Maanen says the abuser will use power, control, along with intimidation on the victim, making that victim feel compelled to return. She says abuse is not always the hitting and things that we know are not legal.
She says a person averages leaving five to seven times before they leave for good. Van Maanen says she deals with more than 150 reported cases of domestic violence in Plymouth County each year, and every week on average, two new cases of domestic violence are referred to her agency.
