October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), first observed in October 1981 as a national “Day of Unity.” This month-long event unites victim advocates, allied professionals, survivors of abuse, their loved ones, and the community to mourn lives lost to domestic violence, celebrate progress, and connect with others striving for change.
According to The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), domestic violence—also known as intimate partner violence—is “the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse.”
Events throughout the year raise awareness of domestic violence and its impact on individuals, families, and communities. During DVAM, using the hashtag #1Thing, individuals and organizations can help raise awareness and show that everyone can contribute to bringing about change.
February is Teen Domestic Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM), dedicated to raising awareness about how abuse specifically affects teen dating relationships. For more information, visit loveisrespect.org.
Hotline/Support
- National Domestic Violence Hotline – Call, chat or text!
Websites with More Information
- CDC—Violence Prevention
- Department of Justice—Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence Awareness Project
- Domestic Violence Evidence Project
- Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA) IMPACT Program
- Health Cares About Domestic Violence Action Toolkit
- Intimate Partner Violence, Homelessness, and Behavioral Health: A Toolkit for Health Centers — Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation
- National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)
- National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities, a Project of Casa de Esperanza
- Office of Child Support Enforcement Family Violence
- Office on Women’s Health Violence Against Women
- Promising Futures: Best Practices for Serving Children, Youth, and Parents Experiencing Domestic Violence
- Runaway and Homeless Youth Relationship Violence Toolkit
Videos
TED Talks—Let’s End the Silence Around Abuse