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Cost of domestic violence highlighted during Sojourner event

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MILWUAKEE — More and more stories of the darkness domestic violence brings is coming to the light.

"When you hear a young person say that my mommy was brave because she protected us," said Sojourner Family Peace Center Board Member, Thelma Sias. "Those are moments when you realize that where I went home and had joy and love around me, that's not the gift that everyone is having."

It's why corporate and community leaders are joined together Friday morning to discuss not only the emotional and physical toll of domestic violence but the financial toll as well.

In a report by the Sojourner Family Peace Center and the University of South Carolina School of Business, the cost of domestic violence in Milwaukee County is $113 million every year. A lot of money going out and not enough coming back in.

"In the report, we talked about three recommendations," said President and CEO of Sojourner Family Peace Center, Carmen Pitre. "One of them is full funding for all organizations so for us, there isn't enough capacity to deal with the levels of violence that we have."

According to the report, in Wisconsin there are more than 94,000 victims each year, costing over $657 million and 36% of those victims are women. Of that total, at $242 million, the loss of life itself costs the most.

President and CEO of Network Health, Coreen Dicus-Johnson, said to her, domestic violence is a healthcare issue.

"Like many health care issues it passes from generation to generation, but this is preventable," said Dicus-Johnson. "So when we're talking today about courageous conversations this is one step in the process of prevention."

"We have three takeaways I hope from today, we want people to leave with a sense of what they can do in their own environment, so if I own a company what am I to do right," said Pitre. "How can they be a champion and an advocate and how can they elevate the conversation."

Conversations Sias said could be vital in saving someone's life.

"I want other families to have the experience I've had," said Sias. "That is the experience of love, unconditional love and support, a joy in life versus a fear in life."


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