The Seattle Post Intelligencer offers a thoughtful yet action-oriented editorial aptly titled Domestic Violence: Smart Spending.

The piece points to research findings that an appalling forty-four percent of women have been victims of domestic violence of one kind or another at some time in their lives.

The research cited emphasizes the role of domestic violence on escalating health problems and costs. The impact goes well beyond immediate physical injuries resulting from the violence, to long term psychological and physical effects on the victim and other members of the victim’s family.

The key message of the editorial is that increased spending on education, counseling and prevention now will surely save a great deal of money in health, social services and law enforcement costs in the long run.

That sounds like money well spent indeed.