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Last month, Veronica Williams, a mother of three small children, was stabbed to death by her husband, only yards away from the courthouse where she had just been granted an order for protection ("No Safe Place," Dec. 14).

The Baltimore Sun has also recently reported an increase in cases of domestic abuse around the region ("Hard times mean more abuse," Dec. 14). And the Family Tree, an organization focused on stopping child abuse in Maryland, has also noticed a sharp increase in families seeking support services.

This is not surprising as there is considerable overlap between domestic violence and child abuse. Most studies show that in 40 percent to 60 percent of families where domestic violence is prevalent, the physical abuse of children also occurs.

Children who witness family violence suffer lasting and profound trauma that affects their ongoing school and social functioning.

As our economy plummets, more jobs are lost and lives unravel, the challenge before all of us will be a tall one. Increasingly, the provider community recognizes the importance of collaborating to best meet the complex needs of families with children. And we are working around the clock with our partners to protect children by strengthening their families.

Yet as their cries for help come in at exponential rates, like-minded service providers, faith institutions and public agencies are struggling to stay on top of the needs in the face of budget cuts and shrinking community resources.

That is why it is more critical than ever for each of us as individuals, organizations and communities to carry this load together, because extraordinary times like these call for extraordinary acts of kindness.


The writer is executive director of the Family Tree.