A week and a half ago, a man shot his girlfriend in Federal Hill here in Baltimore, then drove to Columbia, where he murdered his ex-wife, before taking his own life.
Last month in Franklin County, PA, a man murdered his wife in their home, and after shooting the woman’s mother and the family dog, committed suicide. The woman was a nurse in a domestic violence center.
Recent surveys indicate that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Today on Midday, conversations about intimate partner violence; how the problem has been exacerbated by the pandemic, how the holiday season is of particular concern to advocates for domestic violence, and how women of color are disproportionately impacted.
Tom's first guest is Dr. Tiara Willie. She’s an assistant professor in the Department of Mental Health at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research focuses on gender-based violence, and trauma-informed policies, programs, and interventions.
Tom's second guest, joining us later in the hour, is Bill Mitchell. He lives in Ellicott City, and for the past 16 years, he has been a passionate advocate for victims of domestic violence. He is the author of a book called When Dating Hurts: What We Learned About Dating Violence After Our Daughter’s Tragic Death, in which he shares the tragic story of his daughter Kristin's murder in a case of dating violence. He hosts a podcast and a Website of the same name.
Bill Mitchell joins us on Zoom to discuss his crusade to educate people about the dangers of intimate partner violence.
If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233) or Maryland’s 24-hour Hotline, House of Ruth: 410-889-RUTH (7884).
