It is a very appropriate time, in light of the 20/20 interview with Rihanna regarding her violent encounter with her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, to talk about a local resource for survivors of domestic violence--My Sister's House (MSH).
MSH is special and unique because it exists to serve people in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the central valley. It offers a 24-hour multilingual crisis line and a six-bed home for women and children escaping a violent environment. Beyond the home, MSH also has a Women at Work program and a New Beginnings program to help women regain financial and emotional independence. MSH also offers preemptive solutions, like culturally sensitive domestic violence intervention services and community educationals.
Domestic violence is an underreported crime, and a real issue in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Statistics show that one in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. A woman is beaten by their partner every 15 seconds in the United States of America. Domestic violence is the single greatest source of injury among women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the U.S.A. This is more than injuries caused by muggings, car accidents, and rapes combined. It is important to realize that battering occurs among people of all races, cultures, ethnicities, classes, and religions, regardless of occupational or educational backgrounds.
One can learn more about MSH and how to help stop domestic violence on the MSH Web site at http://www.my-sisters-house.org/
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