October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Since 1989, October serves as an opportunity to spread knowledge and awareness to victims and survivors. Domestic violence is a behavior that will have create rippling effects, victims.

"Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. Physical violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior as part of a much larger, systematic pattern of dominance and control. Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological trauma, and even death. The devastating consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime." NCTSN

Every 9 seconds, a woman in the U.S. is beaten or assaulted by a current or ex-significant other.

1 in 4 men are victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Use #DomesticViolenceAwareness to post on social media. Sometimes, people don’t know if they are really in an abusive relationship because they’re used to their partner calling them crazy or making them feel like all the problems are their own fault. Here are a few ways to know if you’re in an abusive relationship that you need to get out of.

1. Your partner has hit you, beat you, or strangled you in the past.

2. Your partner is possessive. They check up on you constantly wondering where you are; they get mad at you for hanging out with certain people if you don’t do what they say.

3. Your partner is jealous. (A small amount of jealousy is normal and healthy) however, if they accuse you of being unfaithful or isolate you from family or friends, that means the jealousy has gone too far.

4. Your partner puts you down. They attack your intelligence, looks, mental health, or capabilities. They blame you for all of their violent outbursts and tell you nobody else will want you if you leave.

5. Your partner threatens you or your family.

6. Your partner physically and sexually abuses you. If they EVER push, shove, or hit you, or make you have sex with them when you don’t want to, they are abusing you (even if it doesn’t happen all the time.)

If you need support, please ask. Click here for a tool kit with resources to support educators, parents, and parents of children.

IMPORTANT! If you feel unsafe now and need help for yourself, your family, or someone else in a domestic crisis, contact • 911 for emergency police assistance • The National Domestic Violence Hotline. Advocates are available to intervene in a crisis, help with safety planning, and provide referrals to agencies in all 50 states. Call the confidential hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or go to www.thehotline.org • Your local child protective services have resources for you if your children are in danger.