In her May 22 Local Opinions essay, “Asking the wrong question about violence,” Dorothy Lennig wrote that attention needs to be directed toward men to reduce violence against women. She wrote, “The question we should ask is: How do we get men to stop abusing and killing their intimate partners?”

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that “1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.” Men hurt women, women hurt men. Yes, the conversation regarding domestic violence needs to change. One way would be to acknowledge the fact that men, too, can be victims. Community support for them is needed as well. Another way would be to start education early. Teach preteens — boys and girls — about dating abuse, how to recognize it, the fear and shame it can induce and how to get help. And to understand that either a man or a woman can be the victim or the perpetrator. And, in some instances, both.

Bonnie Boyle Cote, Washington