Acts of domestic violence on rise, but advocate says all men can make a difference

FOX 2 - So far this year in Metro Detroit, there has been stories about a pregnant woman set on fire and another mom dismembered by their lovers.

"I still watch the cases because I still feel like I’m a part of that domestic violence team," said Wardell Woods.

Woods, a retired probation officer, says his heart breaks for the children and relatives ripped apart by recent local intimate partner crimes, which have escalated to unimaginable violence.

"I remember even in my case, where I tried to fight and break it up and got slammed across the room," he said.

Woods — now an associate pastor in Detroit — says as a child, he grew up seeing his dad abuse his mom.

In the year before the pandemic, the group UN Women says 243 million women and girls ages 15 to 49, have experienced physical or sexual abuse worldwide.

Since then, reports show that number has skyrocketed, says Shelby Nardone of HAVEN.

"Unfortunately, this is something a lot of domestic violence agencies around the country — including HAVEN — have seen since the pandemic has started, with an increase rate of homicide in the community related to domestic violence and increasing brutality," she said.

FOX 2: "If you’re a man and you’re watching this, how do you hold other men accountable?"

"A lot of times we look at domestic violence as a women's issue," she said. "Or whatever happens in the home, stays in the home, whatever happens in that relationship is none of my business. What we know is intimate partner violence is all of our business, and we all have a responsibility to intervene.

"Men have a lot of power to create change in our community around these issues."

Nardone, the prevention lead at HAVEN, says if men want to hold others accountable they can:

Educate themselves on intimate partner violence.

Practice bystander intervention, which means stepping in and stopping abusive situations or calling our insensitive comments.

Talk about healthy relationships.

And donate time or money to groups like Haven.

Church Pastor Wardell Woods says conversations on accountability can happen in places like our barbershops.

"If in fact, we are speaking to each other, we need to understand how we affect others," he said. "And not just our own selves."