I read this week that a Trump-aligned clothing company, “Lions Not Sheep,” was fined more than $211,000 by the Federal Trade Commission. They removed “Made in China” tags and replaced them with “Made in U.S.A” tags. More than the hypocrisy, my eye was caught by one shirt’s motto: “GIVE VIOLENCE A CHANCE.”

I worked many years in the domestic abuse field — on a women’s crisis line and in two domestic violence shelters. As part of my work, women have called me, fearful they were about to be murdered by their violent partner. I also worked with the police to transport women from danger to safety. As volunteer coordinator, I educated volunteers on the continuum of violence. Without a boost in the abuser’s emotional-regulation skills, violence starts with dehumanizing insults and moves toward threats and eventually to physical violence. When violence starts, the abuser sees the victim as less-than-human, which to them justifies the abuse. The abuser makes the victim responsible for their happiness. Everything would be all right if only the victim were different or not here. The abuser seeks control over another because they feel unable to control their emotional distress.