Safety

As a parent, the scariest thing you can imagine is your child getting hurt. Yet, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that among women and men who have experienced intimate partner violence, 26% of women and 15% of men first experienced violence by a partner before they turned 18.

Every romantic relationship is different. But there’s one thing all women should know doesn’t belong in a relationship: ABUSE, whether physical or emotional. Sometimes abuse is disguised as or confused with love. But it’s not. No one has the right to hurt you, control you, or make you feel afraid — even if they say they do it because they love you.

I love to have fun in the sun just as much as anyone. But don't let the warmth or the longer days fool ya! Whether you're out hiking, at the ballpark, or just trying to beat the heat, here are a few tips to keep in mind so you have a safe and healthy summer.

Content warning: Physical and emotional abuse

When I was 22, a few weeks before I met the man who physically abused me, I told my roommate I'd never be stupid enough to let a man beat me.

I wish I'd known that abusers never hit you on the first date.

Ed. note: This blog is cross-posted from the U.S. Department of Labor Blog. The original post date was January 27, 2015.

A few months ago I broke my arm when I took a fall. That in itself isn't notable (except for me!); falls happen to the best of us. What made this different — and a little bit humbling — was that at the time I was checking my phone to see when the next bus would arrive. I didn't see the two steps down on the sidewalk.

Ed. note: This blog post is cross-posted from HuffingtonPost.com. The original post date was October 23, 2014. Read the original post.

Content warning: Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), rape, sexual assault

Ed. note: This blog post is cross-posted from the Administration for Children and Families blog. The original post date was October 1, 2014. Read the original post.

Today, I took a pledge to help end sexual assault on college campuses. As a woman, mother, and the Director of the Office on Women's Health, this is a deeply personal issue for me.

Hello! I'm Dr. Nancy Lee, the director of the Office on Women's Health. I'd like to welcome you to our new blog. I hope it will be a place where you can find discussions of women's health that matter most to you.