Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) suggested Monday that domestic violence by men has increased due to U.S. joblessness.

Reid, speaking in the midst of a Senate debate over whether to pass a $15 billion package meant to spur job creation, appeared to argue that joblessness would lead to more domestic violence.

"Men, when they're out of work, tend to become abusive," the majority leader added. "Our domestic crisis shelters in Nevada are jammed.”

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
reply to post by dolphinfan

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I don't know if I disagree with his statement.

Being out of work is a very stressful situation and a lot of us men feel a personal responsibility to provide for our families.

Would I be abusive if I was out of a job...no...I don't believe I would.


Do I think it is outrageous to think that for some men the stress of that situation may push them over the edge and they may become abusive...absolutely.

He isn't saying every man who is out of work becomes abusive...he is saying it is a possibility...and I agree.

Domestic abuse on rise as economy sinks
Hotline calls up from last year as are cases of shaken baby syndrome
updated 4:20 p.m. ET April 10, 2009

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - Some hospitals report seeing more than twice as many shaken babies as a year ago. Deaths from domestic violence have increased sharply in some areas.

Calls to domestic-violence hotlines have risen too, and more than half the callers said their families' financial situation has changed recently.

Across the country, these and other signs point to another troubling effect of the recession: The American home is becoming more violent, and the ailing economy could be at least partially to blame.

www.msnbc.msn.com...

Recession can be deadly for domestic abuse victims
By Mary R. Lauby and Sue Else
December 25, 2008

THE RIPPLE EFFECT of the economic crisis has multiplied in ways that many of us could never imagine: banks folding, stock markets diving, and an astronomical government bailout.

For victims of domestic violence, the impact of this downward economic spiral could be deadly.

Economic stresses often lead to more frequent abuse, more violent abuse, and more dangerous abuse when domestic violence already exists. Domestic violence programs report that victims experience an increase in abuse in part because out-of-work abusers have more opportunity to batter. Rhode Island, for example, has recently seen a 25 percent increase in felony-level domestic violence crimes. Victims end up with fewer opportunities to contact programs for help, attend support groups, or get away from the batterer.

www.boston.com...

Recession Triggers Rise in Domestic Abuse
Increasing Numbers of Battered Women are Seeking Shelter

Apr 28, 2009 Rupert Taylor
The Calgary Women's Shelter has reported a dramatic increase in the occurrence of domestic abuse, and lays the blame for this on the recession.

Sheryl Ubelacker is the Health Reporter for The Canadian Press. On April 13, 2009 she wrote a story “Domestic Abuse on Rise as Families Try to Cope with Recession” that was picked up by most news outlets in Canada.
Economic Downturn Causes Spike in Abuse

Ms. Ubelacker wrote that “Since the recession took hold, social service organizations say, there has been a significant spike in the number of Canadians seeking counselling for family violence – and the level of abuse has taken a disturbing turn for the worse.”

Following up on this, the CBC program The Current reported on April 20, 2009 that, “The Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter runs a 24-hour family violence help line. In February [2009], it took 1,366 calls. That's a 300 percent increase from the previous year."

Lisa Falkowsky is executive director of the Calgary shelter. She told The Canadian Press, “…we’re also finding that for the women coming forward, the complexity and severity of what they’re demonstrating is much more severe than we’ve seen in a long time. I’ve got counsellors who have worked in the field 20-plus years and they’ve never seen what they’re seeing now.”

physical-abuse.suite101.com...