Domestic Violence: A Heart-Rendering Experience (4)

There really are no easy solutions for lessening the violence in our nation, so each and every one of us must do our part to attempt to end the violence in order to make America a safer place to live. We need to fight for tougher penalties for violent offenders, making sure that they will be punished to the full extent of the law as well as provide assistance to women who are survivors of violence. We must be prepared to cooperate with government officials, law enforcement, educators and community leaders as well as with each other. In unity there is strength. Parents have the responsibility of nurturing and guiding their children through every aspect of growing up. They need to be involved in all of their children’s activities, protecting and keeping them safe. Parents need to teach their children about relationships, dangers of alcohol and drug use, as well as showing the difference between making right and wrong choices. "Positive reinforcement and constructive support are more effective in influencing children's behavior than criticism." Maintaining good communications with your child will make it easier for him/her to come to you when they have a problem or to seek your opinion on more serious issues as well. Because abuse and crime is on the rise, today’s parents need to oversee the kinds of video games that their children are involved with, rap and hip-hop music that they listen to as well as monitor the content of TV programming and computer use.. Parents should set viewing limits, so that the child can spend more time in other constructive areas such as reading, playing with their friends etc. Protecting children from exposure to violence in the environment, whether on television or in the neighborhood, is important for a child to feel safe.

If at any time you feel your life or someone else’s life is in immediate danger, please I repeat please DO NOT HESITATE call the police. Stop the cycle of violence and make our nation a safer place to live.
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Contact Author: miriammedina@earthlink.net or miriam@thehistorybox.com
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