Domestic Violence Awareness Month - Oct 2010

Did you know that Oct is Domestic Violence Awareness month?

Thankfully I have never experienced this in my own life but I have had some close friends that have. One of my good friends had to actually run for her life in the middle of the night to protect herself and her children from her abusive husband. I also had a class awhile ago where I did a lot of research about abuse. The personal accounts of abuse survivors horrified me with the violence and pain they suffered through, but inspired me with their courage and resilience. What I learned touched me deeply and motivated me to advocate for victims and for an end to violence.

Did you know?
Nationally. . . .

• 25% of all women will be victims of domestic violence in their lifetime.
• 1 in 4 teens is shown to be a victim of dating violence.
• Each year, domestic violence costs over $4 billion in healthcare costs and billions more in workplace absenteeism and lost productivity.
• 60% of victims cited job loss, including being suspended and fired, as a direct or indirect result of domestic violence.
• Pregnant women are more likely to be victims of homicide than to die of any other cause.
• 75% of domestic violence related deaths occur during or after leaving the abuser.
• Adults who physically abuse their partners typically enacted a first episode of dating violence by age 15.
• A woman is beaten every 15 seconds.
• While women are less likely than men to be victims of violent crimes overall,
women are five to eight times more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner.
• 4 million women are victims of severe assaults by boyfriends and husbands each year and about one in four women is likely to be abused by a partner in her lifetime.
• Each day, more than three women in the United States are murdered by a male intimate partner.
• There are 16,800 homicides and $2.2 million (medically treated) injuries due to intimate partner violence annually, which costs $37 billion.
• It is estimated that anywhere between 3.3 million and 10 million children witness domestic violence annually.
• Research demonstrates that exposure to violence can have serious negative effects on children's development. Witnessing violence between ones parents or caretakers is the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next.
• Thirty percent of Americans say they know a woman who has been physically
abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year.

Shocking statistics but this is reality for many women in our country!!

Even more shocking is the fact that these women are in our communities and are our neighbors.

If you want to read more facts about this subject and why it matters go HERE.

If you are as passionate about ending Domestic Violence as I am, share your voice to raise awareness during the month of October.

One way that we can help is to donate our old cellphones to give victims of Domestic Violence a voice. Go HERE or HERE to learn more.

If you want to learn more about how you can make a difference in the lives of thousands of victims, survivors, and their families, go HERE.

If you are in an abusive relationship or you know someone that is please call for help at the

National Domestic Violence Hotline at

1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Breaking the cycle of Domestic Violence begins with awareness!!