Domestic violence touches the lives of Americans of all ages, leaving a devastating impact on women, men, and children of every background and circumstance.

That’s according to the City of Ripon proclamation to the Women’s Center of San Joaquin County, announcing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“Domestic violence is a disease that is passed down through family members,” Mayor Dean Uecker said at last week’s Ripon City Council meeting.

Raman Dhindsa of the Women’s Center agreed.

“Every seven seconds, someone is the victim of domestic violence,” she said. “In 70 percent of violent homes, children are also victimized.

In many cases, the family’s home becomes that place of hopeless and fear, where a person is battered by their partner and the child witnesses the abuse. The elderly can also be victimized by family members.

Dhindsa, who works with Youth and Family Services, was thankful for the elected leaders for getting the word out that there’s no place for such violence. “The community needs to talk about it before it is too late,” she added.

One such way, according to proclamation, is by providing “young people with education about health relationships, changing attitudes that support violence, and creating a future where all men, women, and children can live free from violence and exploitation.”

The goal here is to encourage the community to break the cycle of violence.