Domestic violence is critical issue

To the editor:I grew up in Jackson, attended school at Southeast Missouri State University and currently live in New Jersey. I faithfully follow the Southeast Missourian online, and I have been following the Jackson shootings with much interest and concern.

I want to thank Bridget DiCosmo for her good coverage of the recent shootings in Jackson. The article t "Woman sought refuge at shelter, friend says" serves to continue to keep issues related to domestic violence in the foreground of discussion.

I hope the Southeast Missourian will continue to raise awareness about domestic violence. My fear is that the tragedy in Jackson will be viewed as an anomaly and that it was an agency and police failure rather than a communitywide failure. Unfortunately, our silence and miseducation (or no education) about issues of domestic violence (for example: the typical talk about victimizers being "nice guys") lead to more and more victims and victimizers. I encourage the Southeast Missourian to dig deep into domestic violence, it's causes, it's symptoms, community resources, survivor perspectives, statistics in Southeast Missouri and the alarming prevalence in all classes and races.

As a chaplain who has worked extensively in health-care facilities with patients of all ages, I have seen firsthand how prevalent (yet often unspoken) domestic violence is.

Thank you for your consideration on this matter. I look forward to more articles related to the multiple dimensions of domestic violence.

LYNN CASTEEL HARPER, Princeton, N.J.