CHANDLER, Ariz., Jan. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- A Huffington Post write-up shed light on an apparent shift in attitudes towards domestic violence. Awareness of this issue is clearly on the rise. An advocate for domestic violence victims, Christian Weems, took note of the information.

The article shared statistics compiled by San Francisco polling firm Tulchin Research. Respondents were randomly selected from a pool of 900 English or Spanish speaking adults with access to either a landline or a mobile phone. The Blue Shield of California Foundation funded the research survey.

According to the data collected, the majority of those polled indicated anyone can experience instances of domestic violence. Strikingly, 66 percent of respondents reported a personal connection to a friend or family member who has experienced domestic abuse in some form.

As a resident of Chandler, Arizona, Christian Weems  has had the opportunity to serve on the city's innovative domestic violence committee. She commented on the newly reported statistics: "This new survey marks a significant shift in the perception of domestic violence. Society used to think that this type of violence did not happen to people they know. The fact is victims come in every age, and from every race. The more we embrace this reality, the better prepared we are to help victims move past this form of abuse and on to better, brighter futures."

The recently reported numbers are further evidence of an increasing amount of domestic violence awareness within the state. The article noted similar survey of California citizens conducted in 1994 indicated only 32 percent knew women who experienced domestic violence.

The piece went on to share a 2000 poll of Americans indicated 51 percent of individuals suspected a loved one was in an abusive relationship. By 2007, that rate had moved up to 56 percent.

The article also took note of attitudes towards the prevention of domestic violence. Most respondents agreed appropriate behavior for relationships should be taught as early as middle school and no later than high school. An age appropriate way to reach the younger subsets is to open up discussions of the general ways in which individuals should treat one another.

Discussions of dating abuse could very well enhance domestic violence prevention efforts. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the article noted individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 are at the highest risk to experience domestic violence.

ABOUT:
Christian Weems  is an artist and entrepreneur who lives with her spouse and children in Chandler, Arizona. Dedicated to a life of service, she has organized volunteer efforts to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, supported numerous initiatives in her church community, and sat on domestic violence prevention and environmental committees for the city of Chandler. Christian has also enjoyed volunteering as an art masterpiece program teacher in her children's classrooms.

Media Contact: Carol Blankenship Mark-PR.com, (678) 685-8304, mark@mark-pr.com

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SOURCE Christian Weems