Did you know that domestic and sexual violence is a public safety
and public health problem of epidemic proportions, more common than breast cancer and heart disease combined? Domestic Violence is the #1 most preventable injury in the United States.  According to the Centers for Disease Control, 24 women per minute are victims of physical violence, rape or stalking by an intimate partner.  

The United States Department of Justice defines domestic violence as
any pattern of abusive behavior by one partner to gain or maintain power or control over the other. The vast majority of domestic violence victims are women.  It’s so disheartening to realize that home is the most dangerous place for hundreds of thousands of women.   

The Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois is here to help those caught in the vicious cycle of domestic violence.  

Domestic violence occurs in homes throughout every community. It knows no color, gender, age or socioeconomic status. The abuse can be physical, sexual, financial, social or emotional.  Victims of domestic violence feel like there's nowhere to turn, but there is hope available 24/7 at Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois.