According to the Department of Justice, intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crimes. Furthermore, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men will experience some sort of domestic abuse by an intimate partner. Additionally, the United Nations has found that rates of domestic violence have sharply risen during the Covid-19 pandemic. Domestic violence hotlines in the United States receive an average of 20,000 calls per day.
There are many campaigns both nationally and globally that try both try to prevent domestic violence. More campaigns aim to provide support to victims and survivors. In the United States, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 800-799-7233. Furthermore, a new initiative is being launched by Nicki Minaj's mother, Carol Maraj. Maraj experienced domestic violence both through witnessing her father's abuse of her mother and through her own experiences at the hands of her husband, Robert.
Carol Maraj Teams Up With Plastic Surgeon and NAACP
Speaking at an NAACP Mother's Day luncheon, Minaj spoke of her own experiences with domestic violence. "I saw my father hit my mother in the head with a flashlight and we just moved on like it was nothing. I came to America and realized this is abuse, this is domestic violence, I’ve been living." The speech accompanied the announcement that Maraj was teaming up with plastic surgeon Dr. Scott Byler and the Islip chapter of the NAACP to provide free cosmetic procedures to the survivors of domestic violence.
This is being done through the Carol Maraj Foundation, which Majar founded in 2013. “We will give these victims a new start that includes helping to restore their physical confidence," Maraj said. Dr. Byler also spoke at the event. "We’re going to be donating our services, all of my surgical fees and so forth will be free of charge for anyone who has the courage to step away from a situation where they were involved with domestic violence," he said. Furthermore, a press statement noted that there would be no cap on the price of procedures. This means that those who utilized the service can get as much help as they needed.
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