From: www.nydailynews.com

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Half of all women murdered in New York City last year were killed by their intimate partners. Thousands more were battered or endured emotional and psychological abuse, says the state Office of Prevention of Domestic Violence.

The case of Caroline C. puts a face on the shocking statistics with a story that is more common than most people imagine. At 17, Caroline had already endured three years of abuse at the hands of a violent boyfriend.

She desperately needed help, yet shame and guilt made it difficult for her to confide in anyone. One particularly bad day, Caroline could no longer endure the abuse, and tearfully told a teacher what she was going through. "Her only response was to tell me to talk to someone else," Caroline told Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum.

Her story is only one of many cited in a report prepared by Gotbaum's office. In New York, one girl in five under 18 is in an abusive relationship, the report found.