The school year is well underway and as our children have gotten back into the routine of school and learning, parents have been forced to learn a thing or two as well. This year many families have been faced with hard times with everything from layoffs to foreclosures and of course the H1N1 flu.

We have learned to stretch our budgets, to protect our children's health and for some, the strength and resiliency of our families. For some, these lessons have come easier than others. At Hands of Hope Resource Center we have learned that domestic abuse discriminates against no age. With more and more teenagers experiencing dating violence, parents have turned to us for help. The reality is one in three girls will experience domestic abuse before they leave college and that every 15 seconds a woman in the U.S is beaten by her boyfriend or spouse.

Parents have been scared by the reality that last year 35 Minnesotans, men, women and children, were killed in domestic violence situations. This is not a lesson to learn too late. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse or you are interested in learning more about how you can help please attend our domestic abuse forum at Central Lakes College Staples Campus Oct. 29 or call Hands of Hope Resource Center at 320-732-2319 or our crisis line at 1-800-682-4547.
Jamie St George
Domestic Abuse
Coordinator
Hands of Hope
Resource Center