From Businesswire:

DALLAS—Mary
Kay Inc. today announced results from “Mary Kay’s
Truth About Abuse” survey of domestic
violence shelters across the country. The findings reveal an alarming
trend: three out of four domestic violence shelters report an
increase in women seeking assistance from abuse since September 2008, a
major turning point in the U.S. economy. The survey data directly
connects a major reason for the increase in domestic violence to the
downturn in the economy.

“Mary Kay’s Truth About
Abuse” survey polled more than 600 domestic violence shelters
nationwide. Representatives of the shelters surveyed report they have
observed an increase in requests for assistance from domestic violence
victims because of the following reasons:

  • Seventy-three percent attribute the rise in abuse to “financial
    issues.”
  • “Stress” and “job loss” (61 percent and 49 percent,
    respectively) also proved to be leading contributing factors in the
    reported increase in domestic violence cases involving women.

“Mary Kay’s survey confirms what we’ve been hearing from domestic
violence programs across the country,” said Sue Else, president of the National
Network to End Domestic Violence. “The economic downturn is
exacerbating domestic violence. The demand for domestic violence
services is growing, and we must increase support for victims during
this difficult time. Now more than ever, we urge corporations and other
organizations to follow Mary Kay’s lead in the fight to end domestic
violence.”