(WXYZ) — 7 News Detroit Anchor Carolyn Clifford is taking a deep dive into domestic violence.
You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799 7233, text "START" to 88788 or chat on their website
Full coverage: Breaking Free - a deep dive into domestic violence
It comes after doing weekly check-ins with local police chiefs, where we were told that domestic violence is still the No. 1 crime in just about every community. During the month of December with the holiday season and new year approaching, domestic violence calls go through the roof.
Related: Resources for domestic violence victims
We are ending our series by looking at the tiniest of victims, the children who learned by seeing, hearing, and then, by doing. We're lifting the voice of a child, who with his mom, walked out the door of their violent surroundings so they could end the generational cycle of abuse.
A woman is beaten in this country every nine seconds, and studies suggest that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence each year.
Ezekiel Moore said he would put his ear to the door to hear what was going on with his mom, and it made him afraid.
"I thought my dad was doing something very bad, but I just heard a lot of yelling and it made me really scared," Ezekiel said.
His mom, Margaret Morant, had no idea.
"So when you hear Ezekiel say that he was listening, what do you think he was listening to?" I asked.
"A lot of things a child his age should not have to hear. And it’s frightening. I thought I was holding the door and protecting him. I just feel bad my kids had to see that part of my life," Morant said.
A whopping 40% of child abuse victims also report experiencing domestic violence.
Dr. LaDonna Combs-Spight travels all over the country to fight this affliction. She has run Sisters Against Abuse at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit for nearly 20 years. She works with women from all nationalities.
"They have the same needs, but the way in which they receive from me are culturally different," Combs-Spight said.
She says women can be re-victimized when they seek help if those offering resources do not understand their culture.
"So they go back and say they'd rather deal with this over here, and many times, they are killed because they go back," she said.
Also, according to police, a young boy witnessing domestic violence is 10 times more likely to become an abuser.
"Did you ever tell anyone or did you ever talk to anyone about it?" I asked.
"The only people I told were my siblings," Ezekiel said.
"What did they say to you?" I asked.
"They would say, 'just be calm. Everything’s going to be alright,'" he said.
Ezekiel and his mom are among the lucky ones. They are now safe and were fortunate to find shelter at COTS in Detroit. We first spoke to her nearly a year ago.
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"The first night I slept here was the first peaceful night of sleep I had in years," Morant said.
Since our first meeting, Ezekiel and his mom have both been going through counseling, have an advocate and are making progress toward healing.
"I’m just grateful for all the opportunities the COTS organization has provided for myself and my family, from just the care and the love, because everybody don’t have a place to go," she said.
COTS is the only Michigan non-profit to receive a $2 million grant from the foundation of billionaire Jeff Bezos.
Nearly 50 percent of calls for domestic violence come from the city and COTS is on the front line. According to the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, domestic violence may be the single major precursor to fatalities from child abuse and neglect in America.
"What do you say when people are afraid and they hide and feel like I can’t say what’s going on in my house?" I asked Aisha J. Morrell-Ferguson, the chief development officer at COTS.
"Well, I’m a spiritual person, I would say that God did not create fear. You have to stand up for yourself and you deserve better," she said.
Children witnessed violence in nearly 22% of intimate partner violence cases filed in state courts — 30% to 60% of intimate partner violence perpetrators also abuse children in the household.
