October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month – one of our busiest months at the WCA. Other years, you may have joined us at large community events like our SueB 5K/10K race or Witches Night Out. While many of these events will now be held virtually, and while we will miss seeing you all in-person, the creativity of my team has been inspiring, and we look forward to connecting with everyone virtually!
Many things have changed about the way we do this work this year, but one thing that has not changed is the need for this work. As you may have seen through our social media and covered by national news outlets, the need to quarantine has been detrimental to people experiencing domestic abuse. Home is one place we expect to be safe. For many of our neighbors, that isn’t the case.
DVAM is an opportunity to face head-on the pandemic that is domestic violence.1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner. This statistic does not include psychological, emotional, and financial abuse that can leave victims feeling trapped.
Domestic abuse is not just the physical violence that many of us think of – it’s also:
- extreme jealousy that makes you hesitant to make plans with friends
- threatening to self-harm or commit suicide
- every time they belittle your feelings, make you question your reality
- using your credit card in a way that negatively impacts your credit score
These are just a few examples of abusive behavior. Domestic abuse includes any pattern of behavior that allows one person to exert power and control over another. We want everyone to be aware of the warning signs, so that we can create a community where everyone thrives in safe, healthy relationships.
Ways to get involved:
- It is DVAM Community Leaders Proclaim October Domestic Violence Awareness Month Across the Treasure Valley: Raising awareness, providing resources and honoring first responders. Join us for the virtual press event on October 5 at 11 am on Facebook Live.
- You Are Invited! As we move into October and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are excited to offer you an opportunity to hear first-hand from our courageous survivors through our first ever October 30: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. – 8 p.m., and again October 31: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Register Here
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