A welcome message from Abigail Wexner,
Founder and Board Chair,
Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence

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Hello. I'm Abigail Wexner and I‘m so very pleased to have this opportunity to speak with you today.

Family violence is a devastating crime. According to national statistics, one out of every four women will find herself in an abusive relationship at some point in her life. That equates to over 200,000 women in Central Ohio alone. Sadly, the effects of this crime are even more far reaching. As a mother of four children, I was alarmed to learn that child abuse is 15 times more likely to occur in families where domestic violence is present. This is a crime that plants seeds and grows.

There’s a cycle here that we can stop if we start to deal with domestic violence as the crime it clearly is. That’s why I’ve convened the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence. The Coalition is working with law enforcement, the healthcare community, businesses, faith leaders and social service organizations to change the way our community thinks about and responds to family violence.

It’s also important for us to realize that abuse crosses all barriers… age, race, income, culture, religion, education, and sexual orientation. And, it can occur in all kinds of relationships—between husbands, wives and children, between other family members, as well as with dating and live-in partners. Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence.

Thank you for taking this opportunity to learn more about family violence. If we all refuse to tolerate it – we can change attitudes and reduce the incidents of this crime one victim at a time. Our goal is nothing short of building a peaceful world – where families and loved ones live in harmony. Your commitment is the first step.