How the Government, Law Enforcement, and the Mainstream Media Hide the Truth About Domestic Violence

The American people are suffering from many failures caused by the federal government, law enforcement, and the mainstream media. Racism, bigotry, discrimination, Greedflation, the unconscionable high cost of healthcare, life-saving drugs, higher education, and housing have existed for far too long, but the right-wing doesn’t give a damn. Two issues ignored by those in power are rampant in the 21^st century and the greatest danger to our nation’s people are domestic terrorism and domestic violence.

Occasionally the media reports incidents of domestic terrorism, but only if the number of deaths and/or serious injuries is great enough to attract the interest of television viewers. The truth is, there are more mass shootings than days on the calendar, and this situation has existed for more than eight years.

Never reported by the media are the injuries and deaths resulting from domestic violence.

Those who pay attention to the epidemic known as “domestic violence” estimate that the number of cases each year in the U.S. exceeds 10 million. Sadly, only about one-half of those cases are reported to law enforcement. After Trump’s illegitimate election in 2016, hate crimes increased by more than 800 percent.

[There are 16,800 homicides and $2.2 million worth of (medically treated) injuries due to intimate partner violence annually, which costs $37 billion. Fifty percent of battered women who are employed are harassed at work by their abusive partners.]

[In 2022, there were 48,204 deaths due to gun violence in the U.S., with 27,032 being suicides and 19,651 being homicides.] Of those homicides, most victims are women and children who were murdered by someone they knew intimately.

Maybe the most surprising and sad statistic is offered by the CDC. One in three women, and one in six men will experience domestic violence in the lifetime.

A personal note. I had my first migraine headache at the age of five. I was comatose and placed in the hospital for a week. The doctor told my mother that I was experiencing extreme anxiety. Several years later I realized that constant fighting between my mother and father, and verbal and physical assaults were the root for my illness.

When we moved to Los Angeles and the fighting and the level of violence escalated, I kept dimes in my pocket so I could call the cops when necessary on a payphone.

It was only a few years ago that I ceased to be angry at my deceased father. I realized that his alcoholism and anger were symptoms of PTSD. He served in the United States Navey in WWII.

Problems with my inability to deal with stress followed me for the first 40 years of my life. Some symptoms continue at the age of 78.

This is true for every victim of domestic violence. They live their lives in fear and are in a constant state of anxiety.

The mainstream media refuses to report these facts because they do not encourage an increase in viewership. This is why over the last 10 years Trump has been a constant four-letter word in print and on television. Sensationalism increases ratings and higher ratings result in increased advertising revenue. News, real or fake, is good business.

Your illegitimate president and his party are once again focused on doing nothing other than destroying the advances in our society made over the last 60-70 years. Musk and Trump have no interest in the most serious problems facing our nation. Their actions are designed to increase their personal wealth and weaken the United States of America.

Congratulations American voters. Your ignorance may be the cause for the end of the dream of our Founding Fathers.

Op-ed by James Turnage

If you follow my blog, you will be an informed American