In my neighborhood when I was twelve years old I was slightly aware that one of my friend’s father was an abusive man. There were times when my friend would have cuts on his face and his mother always wore sun glasses even in the house. There was a tension in his home that was palpable but we never spoke about his situation. Silence was the order of the day, and what happened in families behind closed doors was thought to be nobody else’s business. Fortunately I am no longer a boy, and violence toward children and women needs me as a man to stand with all those courageous female leaders who have brought these dirty secrets into the light. As a man silence is no longer an option, and it is imperative that we not see domestic violence as a women’s issue. It is a human issue and adult men must stand up and publicly condemn it.