Letter of the day: Reid was right; bad times bring more domestic abuse

Recently, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada was mocked by Republicans and the media for drawing the correlation between increased unemployment and a rise in reports of domestic abuse. The criticism was made despite the fact that the available data overwhelmingly support Reid's claim. Reid also drew fire for suggesting that men are more likely to perpetrate spousal abuse than women. Whether or not that is true, studies show there is no gender bias related to the abuse of children. Many nationwide reports state that child abuse has increased by more than 20 percent since 2008. Worse yet, abuse resulting in the death of a child is more common than it has been in decades. The most devastating aspect of "bad economy abuse" is that when the economy ultimately recovers and parents get back to work, abused children are left dealing with the trauma for the rest of their lives. Child abuse also has a profound negative impact on our economy that often is overlooked. A 2008 report by Prevent Child Abuse America estimates the price tag to society at more than $100 billion per year due to the related costs of investigation, incarceration, therapy and health care, as well as to lost tax revenue. Reid was right to address this topic as part of a broader debate on the economy and jobs. He used his position to draw attention to an issue most people don't want to face. He should be applauded for giving a voice to a serious national problem that affects every one of us. JAMES DELANEY, MINNEAPOLIS;