National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
As October comes to an end, another national awareness month begins. But, as the calendar rolls over, the stories behind those days past still remain the same. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, although, sadly, the families battling the abuse may not see it stop.
Domestic Violence Awareness
First, we must all realize that domestic violence knows no gender boundaries.
One in four women and one in seven men in the United States experience abuse.
The abuse affects a large percentage of Americans on a daily basis, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides life-saving tools and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for those affected. With over 5,000 agencies and resources across the country, there is someone near you who can help. Plus with bilingual advocates are on hand to speak with callers, and our Language Line offers translations in 170 different languages, language is not a barrier. The phone calls are confidential and meant to offer you, or a loved one, the care and support they need to get away from the violence.
How can you help?
Whether you are being abused, know someone who is/was, are compassionate to those hurting, or for whatever reason want to offer your assistance, there are a couple ways to get involved.
- HopeLine – As a longtime Verizon customer, I am huge fan of the HopeLine Program already. You can donate old cell phones and accessories to the program, and the phones are then refurbished and loaded with critical features for use by domestic violence victims. Start a cell phone drive today or learn more about how you can you get involved further.
- Join the #SeeDV conversation – Those affected by domestic violence are urged to participate in the “How I See DV” awareness campaign by sharing their views via social media channels using the #SeeDV hashtag. Guest entries will then be found on the How I See DV blog, where visitors can get resources for learning more about healthy versus unhealthy relationships.
Important Numbers:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- LoveIsRespect: 1-866-331-9474 or text “loveis“ to 22522