Guest MINDSETTER™ John Tassoni Jr: The Silent Scream is Quiet No More
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Guest MINDSETTER™ John Tassoni Jr
Between 2001-2012, the number of American troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq was 6,488. Given that staggering number, think about this one: the number of Americans, mostly women, who were murdered by their current or former male partners during that same time, was 11,766 – nearly double the amount of those lost in battle.
Relationship violence, also called domestic violence, is not a single act but usually a pattern of behavior to establish power and control over another person, through fear and intimidation, and is usually accompanied by the threat or use of physical violence.
Relationship violence is a war that is waged daily and takes a mighty toll yet, for many years, relationship violence was nothing more than a silent scream.
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According to the National Coalition on Domestic Violence, a woman is assaulted or beaten every nine seconds in the U.S., and nearly 20 people (men and women) a minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. This equals more than 10 million victims in a year. On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.
In the mid-1970s in Rhode Island, a group of Providence residents and Brown University students met to discuss women’s issues. Their focus became violence against women as they realized that there were no services for victims of domestic violence, and that public officials downplayed the issue.
That silent scream was finally heard.
The result of their discussions became the Sojourner House, a comprehensive agency that serves victims of relationship violence by providing shelter, advocacy, referrals, and other necessary resources to aid abuse victims and help them reclaim their lives.
The name derives in part from Sojourner Truth, the 19th-century enslaved woman who later became an abolitionist, speaking on behalf of women and slaves as she traveled throughout the country. Additionally, the name welcomes victims and survivors to a place to "sojourn" as some go through the toughest times of their lives.
Now entering its 40th year of service of the community, Sojourner House has grown from a part-time, all-volunteer hotline to a provider of comprehensive services to victims of abuse available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It is still a pioneering organization, reaching out to a cross-section of communities, with programs and bilingual services for teen violence, HIV/AIDS prevention, elder abuse, and LGBTQ.
One of the main messages of Sojourner House is that no victim is to blame for any occurrence of domestic abuse or violence. It can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, income, or other socio-economic factors. Research has also found that children who witness abuse are more likely to become abusers or involved in abusive relationships.
It is important to note that domestic violence does not always occur as physical abuse. Emotional and psychological abuse can be just as extreme, and even life threatening, as physical violence.
The only pain a person should ever feel from a relationship gone bad is a broken heart, which is why I have been an advocate for victims of domestic violence and supported the cause for the 12 years that I served in the General Assembly. I never quite understood how a man could sustain a battering relationship and call himself a man. That goes for female abusers, too.
So, instead of standing back and shaking my head, I decided to help the cause. The Sojourner House is one of the more recent organizations that I have partnered with to help raise funds for these victims. These agencies are there to help victims of relationship violence and most importantly, to help them heal and move on to productive and self-sustaining lives.
It is easy to say to a victim that you should pack up and leave, but we all know that isn’t as easy to do.
Below are places to call in and around the state to get help. If you, or someone you know, is in an abusive or violent relationship, let these trained professionals help you get your life back, so there will be no more silent screams.
Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center
(401) 723-3057
Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County
(401) 782-3995
Elizabeth Buffum Chase Center
(401) 738-9700
New Hope
(508) 226-4015
RI Coalition Against Violence
(401) 467-9940
Sojourner House
(401) 861-6191
Women’s Center of RI
(401) 861-2760
Women’s Resource Center of South County
(401) 846-5263
John J. Tassoni, Jr., is a business leader, radio host, social activist, recovery advocate, and former member of the Rhode Island State Senate.
Related Slideshow: Most Violent Cities and Towns in RI According to the FBI
Below are 38 cities and towns of Rhode Island ranked by violent crime, according to data by the FBI. Exeter is not included in the list because it is part of the RI State Police jurisdiction.
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#38 Little Compton
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0
2013 Violent Crimes: 0
2013 Population: 3,474
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 0
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 0
Interesting fact from the data: Little Compton only recorded 26 property crimes in the entire year.
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#37 Jamestown
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.184
2013 Violent Crimes: 1
2013 Population: 5,442
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 1
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 0
Interesting fact from the data: In 2013, Jamestown had 5 recorded burglaries.
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#36 Barrington
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.184
2013 Violent Crimes: 3
2013 Population: 16,286
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 1
Robbery: 1
Aggravated Assaults: 1
Interesting fact from the data: Barrington had 1 recorded arson in the entire year.
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#35 Scituate
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.287
2013 Violent Crimes: 3
2013 Population: 10,443
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 1
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 2
Interesting fact from the data: In 2013, Scituate had 37 recorded cases of larceny-theft.
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#34 Glocester
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.304
2013 Violent Crimes: 3
2013 Population: 9,858
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 1
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 2
Interesting fact from the data: Glocester only recorded 49 property crimes in the entire year.
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#33 East Greenwich
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.458
2013 Violent Crimes: 6
2013 Population: 13,104
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 1
Robbery: 3
Aggravated Assaults: 2
Interesting fact from the data: East Greenwich had 2 recorded motor vehicle thefts.
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#32 Bristol
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.496
2013 Violent Crimes: 11
2013 Population: 22,160
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 6
Robbery: 2
Aggravated Assaults: 3
Interesting fact from the data: In 2013, Bristol had 34 recorded burglaries.
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#31 Portsmouth
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.520
2013 Violent Crimes: 9
2013 Population: 17,300
Murder: 1
Forcible Rape: 1
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 7
Interesting fact from the data: Portsmouth had 210 recorded property crimes in 2013.
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#30 Hopkinton
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.616
2013 Violent Crimes: 5
2013 Population: 8,112
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 2
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 3
Interesting fact from the data: 84 cases larceny-theft were recorded for the entire year.
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#29 Foster
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.644
2013 Violent Crimes: 3
2013 Population: 4,660
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 0
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 3
Interesting fact from the data: In 2013, Foster had 0 cases of arson.
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#28 Richmond
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.658
2013 Violent Crimes: 5
2013 Population: 7,598
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 1
Robbery: 1
Aggravated Assaults: 3
Interesting fact from the data: Richmond had 4 recorded motor vehicle thefts.
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#27 South Kingstown
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.693
2013 Violent Crimes: 21
2013 Population: 30,309
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 7
Robbery: 2
Aggravated Assaults: 12
Interesting fact from the data: In 2013, South Kingstown had 297 recorded property crimes.
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#26 Narragansett
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.702
2013 Violent Crimes: 11
2013 Population: 15,668
Murder: 1
Forcible Rape: 3
Robbery: 1
Aggravated Assaults: 6
Interesting fact from the data: 164 larceny-thefts were recorded in Narragansett in 2013.
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#25 Smithfield
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.745
2013 Violent Crimes: 16
2013 Population: 21,490
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 0
Robbery: 2
Aggravated Assaults: 14
Interesting fact from the data: Only 3 arsons were recorded in Smithfield for the entire year.
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#24 Middletown
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.873
2013 Violent Crimes: 14
2013 Population: 16,037
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 8
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 6
Interesting fact from the data: In Middletwon, 11 motor vehicle thefts were recorded.
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#23 Coventry
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.886
2013 Violent Crimes: 31
2013 Population: 34,971
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 8
Robbery: 2
Aggravated Assaults: 21
Interesting fact from the data: 99 burglaries were recorded in Coventry.
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#22 Johnston
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.894
2013 Violent Crimes: 26
2013 Population: 29,068
Murder: 2
Forcible Rape: 8
Robbery: 4
Aggravated Assaults: 12
Interesting fact from the data: 564 property crimes were recorded in Johnston in 2013.
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#21 North Kingstown
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 0.956
2013 Violent Crimes: 25
2013 Population: 26,156
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 3
Robbery: 4
Aggravated Assaults: 18
Interesting fact from the data: In North Kingstown, only 5 arsons were recorded.
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#20 Charlestown
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.03
2013 Violent Crimes: 8
2013 Population: 7,770
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 2
Robbery: 2
Aggravated Assaults: 4
Interesting fact from the data: 1 motor vehicle theft was recorded in Charlestown .
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#19 Lincoln
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.031
2013 Violent Crimes: 22
2013 Population: 21,334
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 2
Robbery: 7
Aggravated Assaults: 13
Interesting fact from the data: 461 property crimes were recorded in Lincoln.
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#18 Cumberland
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.058
2013 Violent Crimes: 36
2013 Population: 34,028
Murder: 1
Forcible Rape: 3
Robbery: 10
Aggravated Assaults: 22
Interesting fact from the data: In Cumberland, 322 larceny-thefts were recorded for 2013.
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#17 Westerly
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.061
2013 Violent Crimes: 24
2013 Population: 22,629
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 9
Robbery: 2
Aggravated Assaults: 13
Interesting fact from the data: A total of 74 recorded burglaries were recorded in Westerly .
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#16 Warren
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.137
2013 Violent Crimes: 12
2013 Population: 10,557
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 3
Robbery: 4
Aggravated Assaults: 5
Interesting fact from the data: 14 motor vehicle thefts were recorded in Warren.
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#15 Warwick
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.137
2013 Violent Crimes: 93
2013 Population: 81,789
Murder: 4
Forcible Rape: 35
Robbery: 15
Aggravated Assaults: 39
Interesting fact from the data: In 2013, 2,015 property crimes were recorded in Warwick.
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#14 West Greenwich
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.150
2013 Violent Crimes: 7
2013 Population: 6,085
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 3
Robbery: 1
Aggravated Assaults: 3
Interesting fact from the data: In West Greenwich, recorded motor vehicle thefts were double the number of arsons recorded in 2013.
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#13 North Smithfield
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.153
2013 Violent Crimes: 14
2013 Population: 12,138
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 3
Robbery: 3
Aggravated Assaults: 8
Interesting fact from the data: There were 0 recorded arsons in North Smithfield in 2013.
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#12 Burrillville
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.239
2013 Violent Crimes: 20
2013 Population: 16,141
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 7
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 13
Interesting fact from the data: Only 7 motor vehicle thefts were recorded in Burriville in 2013.
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#11 East Providence
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.271
2013 Violent Crimes: 60
2013 Population: 47,200
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 12
Robbery: 16
Aggravated Assaults: 32
Interesting fact from the data: 531 larceny-thefts were recorded in East Providence.
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#10 Tiverton
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.330
2013 Violent Crimes: 21
2013 Population: 15,792
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 5
Robbery: 5
Aggravated Assaults: 11
Interesting fact from the data: Tiverton had 0 arsons recorded.
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#9 North Providence
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.458
2013 Violent Crimes: 47
2013 Population: 32,234
Murder: 2
Forcible Rape: 10
Robbery: 7
Aggravated Assaults: 28
Interesting fact from the data: 338 larceny-thefts were recorded in North Providence in 2013.
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#8 Cranston
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.871
2013 Violent Crimes: 151
2013 Population: 80,718
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 29
Robbery: 42
Aggravated Assaultss: 80
Interesting fact from the data: In 2013, 1,755 property crimes were recorded in Cranston.
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#7 West Warwick
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 1.874
2013 Violent Crimes: 54
2013 Population: 28,817
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 23
Robbery: 12
Aggravated Assaults: 19
Interesting fact from the data: In West Warwick, 24 motor vehicle thefts were recorded.
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#6 New Shoreham
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 2.885
2013 Violent Crimes: 3
2013 Population: 1,040
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 0
Robbery: 0
Aggravated Assaults: 3
Interesting fact from the data: Only 14 larceny-thefts were recorded in New Shoreham in 2013.
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#5 Pawtucket
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 3.913
2013 Violent Crimes: 279
2013 Population: 71,305
Murder: 5
Forcible Rape: 44
Robbery: 71
Aggravated Assaults: 159
Interesting fact from the data: 2,322 property crimes were recorded in Pawtucket.
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#4 Newport
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 4.649
2013 Violent Crimes: 111
2013 Population: 23,874
Murder: 0
Forcible Rape: 19
Robbery: 12
Aggravated Assaults: 80
Interesting fact from the data: Newport had 17 arsons in 2013 recorded.
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#3 Woonsocket
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 5.870
2013 Violent Crimes: 241
2013 Population: 41,057
Murder: 1
Forcible Rape: 41
Robbery: 48
Aggravated Assaults: 151
Interesting fact from the data: 87 motor vehicle thefts were recorded in Woonsocket in 2013.
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#2 Providence
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 6.233
2013 Violent Crimes: 1,115
2013 Population: 178,887
Murder: 12
Forcible Rape: 97
Robbery: 365
Aggravated Assaults: 641
Interesting fact from the data: Providence had more property crimes than any other city and town in RI in 2013.
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#1 Central Falls
Violent Crime Per 1000 residents: 6.751
2013 Violent Crimes: 131
2013 Population: 19,404
Murder: 2
Forcible Rape: 9
Robbery: 34
Aggravated Assaults: 86
Interesting fact from the data: 12 arsons were recorded in Central Falls in 2013.
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