Congresswoman Terri Sewell announced last week that she would pursue impeachment proceedings for Judge Mark Fuller if he did not resign for his domestic abuse against his wife – a move that has been applauded by myself and a multitude of others. Many Alabama representatives and senators denounced Judge Fuller’s actions and have urged him to resign, but Congresswoman Sewell is leading the charge by publicly advocating for Judge Fuller’s resignation or impeachment.

October is Domestic Violence Month, which makes bringing this issue to the forefront very important. Domestic violence should not be tolerated and for it to be taken seriously, the legal consequences of committing domestic violence need to be enforced. The continued blind eye turned toward the issue is despicable and unacceptable. According to Congresswoman Sewell’s press release, Alabama, for the last three of five years, has ranked among the five states for most women killed by their male partners. Additionally, four women are murdered by their abusers each day nationally. These numbers are not only shocking, but serve as a powerful reminder that domestic violence can affect anyone, including our family and friends.

Men and women both face domestic violence each and every day and many of these crimes are not even reported, which is incredibly disheartening. Victims need to feel comfortable reporting instances of domestic violence, and empowered to share those stories which could have the potential to help others who may be going through similar situations.

If you have not seen the horrifying video of Ray Rice knocking his wife unconscious and then unceremoniously dragging her limp body out of an elevator or listened to the chilling recording of Judge Fuller’s wife calling 911, pleading for help, I encourage you to do so. Those videos and voice recordings represent what happens behind closed doors everyday. Not every instance of domestic violence is recorded, and as stated before, certainly not every instance is reported, so seeing and hearing first hand what actually occurs can serve as a wake up call for us all.

It is important to raise awareness for this extremely important area and to hold people accountable for their actions. Far too many people get away with their abusive actions and never have to face the consequences of those actions. Judge Fuller should not receive special treatment, nor should Ray Rice, for their positions in the public. Instead, their actions should be held to a higher standard because of their direct influence on society. If public officials, figures and celebrities, continue to get away with their actions, then what kind of message would that send to abusers and future abusers in domestic violence situations?

Men and women both face domestic violence each and every day and many of these crimes are not even reported, which is incredibly disheartening. Victims need to feel comfortable reporting instances of domestic violence, and empowered to share those stories that could have the potential to help others who may be going through similar situations. It is inconceivable to think that a judge would continue to serve in his position when he breaks the law he swore to uphold. The impeachment process for judges is long and difficult, but if there is no action taken, this will continue to be one of the many issues swept under the rug, saved to be dealt with on another day. But, unfortunately, that day may be too late for a victim of domestic violence.

Congresswoman Sewell is standing up for the millions of women and men who are the victims of domestic violence. She is even standing up for the UA students she represents. Judge Fuller should resign, apologize and seek help in dealing with whatever is causing him to display abusive tendencies. While there is not a simple answer in ending domestic violence, there are ways to prevent it from happening and consequences that can be enforced to show that these actions are unacceptable. The madness needs to stop and this step by Congresswoman Sewell is a step in the right direction.

Vel Lewis is a junior majoring in public relations and political science. Her column runs biweekly.