Women's Rights Activists Speak Out Amid Ray Rice Domestic-Abuse Allegations
INGLEWOOD (CBSLA.com) — Women's rights activists spoke out on a local radio show in Inglewood on Friday after domestic-violence allegations against former Ravens running back Ray Rice.
The roundtable discussion on The Hutchinson Report on KTYM 1460 AM Radio highlighted the recently released video featuring Rice allegedly hitting his then-fiancée in an elevator.
But the group, which represents a host of agencies that help support women who have been abused, says acts of assault are repeated daily in Los Angeles.
In fact, across the nation, the Los Angeles Police Department says more than 2 million women fall victim to domestic violence each year.
"The reason why we aren't necessarily reporting on cases of domestic violence because we aren't necessarily self-aware that some of the women are victims," one activist said.
Patricia Delsana, president of California's National Organization for Women, challenged women and public officials across the state to take action to prevent such assaults.
"We have to put money toward it because that's the only thing that's valued here. We live in a capitalist society. If there is no money towards it, then you really don't value it," Delsana told KCAL9's Kara Finnstrom. "I challenge the governor and I challenge the Legislature to start putting in their budgets what they say that they value."
The group also encouraged victims of abuse to seek help by reaching out to public officials or by calling help hotlines.
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