Domestic violence has been a plague throughout human history, but only in recent decades has it come to the forefront of medical and legal concerns.

            Domestic violence, or “intimate partner violence,” is a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological.

            While domestic violence most commonly involves a male against a female, the victim can be of any gender or age.

            How common is domestic violence? Nearly 3 in 10 women (29%) and 1 in 10 men (10%) in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner and reported it having an impact on their functioning. In the U.S., more than 10,000,000 adults experience domestic violence annually.

            Since the abuser is a spouse or companion and often repeatedly apologizes and promises to stop, the victim is often reluctant to call the police, and the pattern continues.

            If there are children, the victim may be even more reluctant to separate, and the children become emotionally (if not physically) traumatized.

            Once thought of as a problem among lower socioeconomic classes, we now know that domestic violence is prevalent in every community and can affect anyone regardless of age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.

            If you are the victim, or you know someone who is a victim, what can you do? First, know that it is not your fault. Disagreements among spouses or other domestic partners are normal and common, but never justify violence.

            If you feel you are in immediate danger, call 911 and get help getting away from your abuser.

            Find someone you can trust and seek their help. This may be your physician, pastor, or a close friend or relative. You almost certainly cannot solve the problem yourself.

            For anonymous, confidential help, 24/7, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). Almost every state has 24/7 hotlines, and most offer immediate help with shelter and legal resources.

            If you suspect a friend or relative may be a victim, you can help. Be aware of clues such as bruising, cut lip or emotional withdrawal. Listen – let them know you want to help – but do not offer concrete advice until asked. Believe them – you may find it hard to believe but know how common the problem is.

            Reassure them that you believe them, that it is not their fault and that they do not “deserve” what is happening. Help the victim create a safety plan that can be put into action if violence occurs again or if they decide to leave the situation.

            This should include a safe place to go in an emergency, or if they decide to leave, a way to let family or friends know what is happening and an “escape bag” with cash, important documents (birth certificates, social security cards, etc.), keys, toiletries and a change of clothes that can be easily accessed in a crisis.

            Domestic violence will probably never disappear, but you do not have to accept it.

            Edward Hoffer MD is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard.

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Edward Hoffer

My bride and I have been watching a lot of British TV lately. I think I have become quite an Anglophile. We particularly like detective dramas. Unlike U.S. shows, there are no shoot’em ups, car chases, or much violence. The detectives solve the crimes using their skills and brains, very much like Sherlock Holmes.

            I find some habits of the Royal family intriguing too. For example, I’ve learned that the late Queen Elizabeth occasionally enjoyed a cucumber sandwich with her afternoon tea. According to The Guardian, a British newspaper, historically the lives of the leisurely upper class were “sedentary, and dainty food sustained them.” Plus, “they were light and tasteful.” (The sandwiches, not the upper-class.)

            If you’re like me, who prefers to do nothing most of the time, a nice, crustless, white-bread sandwich with a touch of cream cheese would hit the spot.

            Just as I was about to try one, a newsflash appeared on my phone announcing that the FDA has recalled cream cheese. Are you kidding me? Upon further research, I found that the CDC has warned that there is an outbreak of salmonella … wait for it … in cucumbers!

            Has anyone told the Brits?

            Food warnings and product recalls seem to be happening frequently these days. I was planning on enjoying my sandwich with a nice cup of decaffeinated coffee. (I don’t drink tea. I’m not that much of a limey … yet.)

            The Environmental Defense Fund has asked the FDA to ban an alleged, cancer-causing ingredient in decaf coffee that according to OSHA, was found in paint strippers (since banned in paint removers). Ugh! My mornings are ruined. As you may have guessed, Starbucks and Dunkin’ disagree.

            The list of banned products goes on and on. The Michigan Department of Agriculture found that a routine sample of black pepper tested positive for salmonella. There is now a nationwide recall of pepper sold by several stores. Just so you know, there have been no reported cases of poisoning to date. Whew!

            Salmonella has attacked sweets too. Thousands of cases of popular chocolate products from one of the big-box chains have been recalled. A popular brand of salted peanuts is on the list, as well as certain oatmeal, peanut butter and egg brands. The latter isn’t surprising because bird flu is back and has flown the coop, spreading to dairy cows in 12 states. Geez! No cream cheese, no coffee, no eggs. There goes breakfast.

            What’s next, lunch? Yup. The USDA has issued a warning not to eat precooked pork, beef-bacon products and chicken salads due to excess levels of harmful chemicals.

            And, if that isn’t enough, we now know microplastics have invaded our bodies in the lungs, the bloodstream and in most foods. Eek, enough already.

            It is enough to want to move far, far away where no one has gone before, like Mars. Well, forget about it. Scientists at a university in London (I’m beginning to dislike all things British) indicate that human trips to Mars are in doubt. Their studies have shown that long space journeys can shrink the kidneys. Wonderful!

            I can’t leave you with all this dread. There is good news. You will soon be able to throw away your dentures, no more expensive crowns or implants. Japanese researchers have developed a medicine that promises to regrow teeth. Human trials are to begin in September. There’s something to smile at!

            And finally, a professor who spent 100 days underwater claims to have reversed his age by 10 years.

            There is hope for mankind after all.

            Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and happily retired writer. His newspaper columns appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.

Thoughts on …

By Dick Morgado

The June 22 Rochester Historical Society Fun Fair with A Flair was so much more than fun and games; it was a living history tour through a time when thoughts of revolution hung heavy in the air.

            Oh yes, there were games that originated in the early Colonial days, delighting modern-day youngsters. There were period costumes worn by Malcom Phinney and his wife Kathy, along with Claire Smith and her husband Howard “Howie.” But it was the oral histories shared by Phinney and Smith that we find most intriguing.

            Phinney, a retired educator, relayed the story of Privateer John Kendrick. A privateer was a seaman who partnered with the ruling party of a country to capture ships carrying merchandise. Call it legal piracy. Phinney noted that Kendrick had connections in the southeast area.

            Kendrick was also an explorer. In 1788 he embarked on an exploration of the Pacific Northwest. He made trips that would eventually find him in Japan, a country loathe to engage in any connect with the outside world. Kendrick is credited as being the first to fly the American flag in Japan.

            But even commissioned Naval officers can find themselves on the wrong side of history. Kendrick’s fate was to be accidentally killed by his own sailors during what was meant to be a celebratory 13-gun salute. Although his life of adventure on the high seas came to an untimely end, he is still remembered as an important figure during those revolutionary years.

            Smith talked to us about what a colonial soldier would carry into the fields of battle. On display was a musket. Smith pointed out various parts of the antique weapon. Slowly, he wove the information with bits of “what it must have been like” stories. As he pointed out how the firearm works, he pointed to the “lock, stock and barrel,” critical elements one had to have to operate the firing mechanism and, for us modern-day folks, a phrase meaning all necessary items needed to complete a task.

            But Smith wasn’t finished. He also told us “keep your powder dry” and “flash in the pan” were phrases from those bygone days that spoke to the importance of keeping one’s firing bits and pieces in good working order but which we have co-opted into modern terms, more or less meaning to stay calm and to be briefly in the limelight.

            The 1857 East Rochester Church, owned by the Rochester Historical Society, stands as a reminder that we are here today because others established cultural systems that held society together during feast and famine. Our ancestors’ fortitude lives within us still.

            The church where they once worshiped is now a museum lovingly brought to life with its latest exhibition of early games and other forms of entertainment. The Mattapoisett Museum has loaned some items to its Rochester neighbors. Inside you’ll find examples of games such as riddle-winks or marbles, or Punch and Judy puppets. The museum is open in the Fall on Sunday afternoons 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Meetings are held on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm.

Rochester Historical Society

By Marilou Newell