Breaking the silence: Advocates push back on myths about domestic violence in South Florida

Domestic violence doesn’t spare any community — and the Jewish community in South Florida is no exception.

Advocates at Jewish Community Services of South Florida say the cultural value of Shalom Bayit — peace in the home — can make it harder for victims to speak out.

“It's important [to] let people know that there [are] ways of reaching out for help, that this is something common, and we are here to help them break those cycles of violence,” said Dana Hahn , a licensed mental health counselor and the case manager at JCS’ Domestic Abuse Assistance Program .

A study of six thousand Jewish families by the Family Violence Research Program found that one in ten families experience some form of abuse, and one in a hundred face severe abuse. That’s according to the JCS.

JCS describ