Safe Passage should be congratulated for successfully tackling the 63 percent increase in domestic violence that the shelter has had to take on since July.

The increased number of cases was the result of a domestic violence task force created by Safe Passage and DeKalb County State’s Attorney Mike Coghlan.

Unfortunately, this jump in people getting help from the shelter is less than 5 percent of the actual cases of domestic violence because few victims ever report the violence.

This should be an eye-opening fact to many people and so should the task force’s attempts to inform the public about available services. However, there will always be someone saying it can’t happen to them.

But no one is exempt. Safe Passage Executive Director Pam Wiseman said 50 percent of all men have become or will become violent at least once in their lives. Twenty-five percent of all men will be violent once a month, she said.

Denial is a defense used too often by people who feel violence will only happen once or that violence is an accepted form of “love.” That is what the counselors at Safe Passage are there to help stop.

Violence is not OK, nor is it deserved. Society isn’t perfect. That’s why we should be thankful for shelters like Safe Passage.

People can’t afford to hide the truth when lives are at stake. That’s why we need Safe Passage.