WHAT!??!?!

Since Rihanna and Chris Brown are all over the airwaves today. I thought I would share some disturbing information I heard recently.

An American Bar Association survey found that one out of four American women are raped or physically assaulted by a current or former partner at some point in their lifetime.

The average number of times that a woman in an abusive relationship is injured before they leave is nine... NINE!

Each person reading this knows someone who has been injured... abused... raped... by someone who was supposed to love them... supposed to protect them. You may not realize that someone you love has been hurt, but the numbers say that you most definitely DO know someone. A friend is suffering in silence. A neighbor is working to recover from the unthinkable. They need your love and support.

We can't change the broken things in this world, until we start talking about them. So talk about it tonight over dinner. Talk about it tomorrow over coffee. We should be speaking up. My sisters, my friends, my neighbors, and my coworkers will not be protected if I am silent. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!

May we break the cycle. May we raise sons who respect the women in their lives. May our daughters rise up and declare that they are worthy of more; They are worthy of the best. Speak out. Raise your voice.

More than that may we look around and see the pain in the eyes that the smiles try to hide.... may we love those around us in such a way that they realize they were created for much more. Raise your voice, but more importantly increase your hearing. Listen in love and act in kindness.