This Hits Home

Today, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) conjure up several stark images of dramatic hits to the head from combat and collision sport, a downward spiral into depression and dementia, rage and tragically, suicide. There is also an emerging and frightening realization that repeated concussions have an enduring and potentially devastating effect on our children that participate in contact sport and on our men and women in uniform.What has largely escaped notice is the silent epidemic of TBI in women and children victims of domestic violence (DV). Domestic violence is a major public health epidemic, a social crisis, and a private nightmare for millions of women, children and families. Considering 1 in 4 American women have experienced severe violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, we are way past due for a serious national conversation. To reinforce that DV is an epidemic, consider that the number of American troops killed in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2012 was 6,488. The number of American women murdered by their current or ex male partner during that same time was 11,766. This staggering number does not include the millions of unreported cases of intimate partner violence (IPV).This Hits Home, a new documentary, will bring light to the tragic consequences of TBI in survivors of domestic violence, educate victims and the public on the devastating permanent and progressive brain damage that results and call for more adequate therapeutic and social intervention to help bring an end to this crisis.