As recently as the 1970s, domestic abuse was seen as a private matter between a husband and wife.
If the police were called, it wasn't unheard of for them to just suggest the offender "take a walk around the block" and cool off.
From that societal climate, beginning in the 1980s, Duluth has become an international innovator in the way communities keep victims safe and hold perpetrators accountable.
The executive director of Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center says the next step is for communities to refuse to tolerate domestic abuse, similar to the way many communities no longer tolerate smoking.
And Susan Utech says another step would be the prosecution of batterers "in the public interest."
You can read more about The Duluth Model here.
More information is available about Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center here.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
