SYD KRONISH | Stamps USPS to issue fund-raiser to help combat domestic violence

Family violence is a national concern. Its effects are felt by people of all ages, races and economic levels.
To increase awareness and publicize the national effort against domestic violence, the U.S. Postal Service will issue a new fund-raising 45-cent semi-postal stamp for release Oct. 11. A semi-postal is a stamp with added value to the first class rate (37 cents) with the increase going to a humanitarian cause.
The new stamp features a sketch of a young girl, hands in the air, expressing the pain and sadness caused by domestic violence. At the top is "First Class USA." Below the sketch is the inscription "Stop Family Violence."
According to the Postal Service, the funds raised from the sale of this stamp will be transferred to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for domestic violence programs. The programs were authorized by provisions of the Stamp Out Domestic Violence Act of 2001 passed by the 107th Congress.
The statistics of domestic violence are alarming. One of every four American women reports being physically or sexually abused at some time in her life. In 1999, according to a report issued by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, in more than 790,000 crimes of domestic violence 85 percent of the victims were women.
Child psychologists have declared that children who witness domestic violence are more apt to develop physical and behavioral problems including depression, anxiety and violence toward peers. They are also more likely to attempt suicide, abuse alcohol or drugs or run away from home.
Safe Horizon, an organization in New York dedicated to programs against domestic violence does not confine itself to the home. Husbands and boyfriends are responsible for 13,000 acts of workplace violence each year. This indicates a need for corporate education about domestic violence, its prevalence and consequences.
The new Stop Family Violence stamp is the third in the series of semi-postals issued by the USPS. In 2001, the Breast Cancer Research and the Heroes of 2001 were the first in the series of semi-postals.
The Breast Cancer semi-postal has a sketch of a woman under going a mammogram. An inscription reads "Fund The Fight. Find A Cure."
The Heroes USA semi-postal features the famous photo of three New York firefighters raising the flag at Ground Zero in the ruins of the World Trade Center. The date 2001 appears at the bottom right of the stamp. To date, both stamps have raised more than 41 million dollars.
The semi-postals are available (at the 45 cent rate) at post offices throughout the country by calling toll free (800) STAMP-24 and online at the Postal Store www.usps.com/shop.