Every nine seconds, a woman is assaulted or beaten. By the time you get to this word, it's already happened.
As a male, I haven't thought about domestic violence that often. You hear about cases on the radio or the news on television, and you might think, "Wow, that's so tragic," or the "Man, people are so messed up. The world's doomed," comment, or something like that, might cross your mind. But the truth is that domestic violence is an issue that is so severe in America, and it is often overlooked, disguised as something that just is.
That is until someone whom the world admires commits this act. Johnny Depp, the American actor and heartthrob to lovers of film around the world, could have very well just made his wife, actress Amber Heard, a statistic. Depp is being taken to court by Amber Heard for allegations of domestic physical and verbal abuse, pictures and a heart-breaking testimony at the heart of the case.
The recent bombshell has taken the media by storm, opening the discussion for domestic violence. In a world where celebrities are both praised for their stardom and criticized for every slip, it's easy to point fingers after this incident occurs. However, as believers in human rights, and as humans in general, we must realize that pointing fingers and spreading hatred is not the answer to solving one of America's biggest problems: violence. Specifically, the violence I'm referring to is within the household.
According to the Huffington Post, 85 percent of domestic violence victims are women, 15 percent being men. Also, 34 percent of homicides between the opposite sex in a household were female, 2.5 percent male. Where am I getting at? The point is that women are prone to excessive violence in our culture in the place where they should feel most safe -- home.
It's sad that something like this has to be leaked to the press and then everyone talking about it leads to the discussion of domestic violence. Nevertheless, holding everyone accountable the right way could make a difference within our society. Spreading awareness about this issue, just as the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence does, is essential to a positive future of America's households.
That being said, the case is further developing, and the divorce is still in process.
