Each year since 1987, October is proclaimed National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is a time to focus public attention on the epidemic of domestic violence and encourage everyone to become part of the solution.
The harsh reality is that domestic violence has reached epidemic proportions. Did you know that:
- Battering is the single leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44?
- One out of every three trips to the emergency room will be a direct result of domestic abuse?
- More than 50 percent of all violent crime calls to police are related to domestic violence?
- Eight million days of paid work are lost by victims of domestic violence? This is the equivalent of 32,114 full-time jobs each year.
And here in Peoria, 15 new people contact The Center for Prevention of Abuse every day for help. Last year alone, the Center provided 4,833 nights of safe emergency shelter to victims of domestic violence and their families.
While it’s true that domestic violence is a complex problem with no simple solution, there are countless steps that can be taken to stop a batterer, to support a victim, to save a life.
First though, let’s be clear about what not to do:
- Don’t assume that just because a battered woman doesn’t ask for help, she doesn’t want or need it. Sometimes in a home where threats and violence are a way of life, fear can cripple and paralyze. She may not be able to reach out for help.
- Don’t assume that someone else is helping a battered woman and her children. Even if someone is, keep in mind that the more support she gets, the more likely she is to get help.
- Don’t assume that safety and justice for a battered woman could ever be possible unless and until we all become part of the coordinated community effort to end domestic violence.
Every day, in some way, make it your business to play an active role in your community to end domestic violence. And what better time to begin than now, during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month?
If you suspect family members or friends are being battered:
- ASK if they’re safe at home or in need of help.
- TELL them about the free and confidential counseling, support and shelter services that are available at The Center for Prevention of Abuse.
- SUPPORT them by offering a ride to the shelter or babysitting while they’re accessing help.
- CALL the police if you hear or witness an assault in progress.
- CONTACT The Center for Prevention of Abuse to find out what you can do to stop domestic violence.
To honor October’s designation as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, The Center for Prevention of Abuse has planned a series of community gatherings, educational opportunities and awareness displays throughout central Illinois. For a list of activities and information on how to get involved, visit www.centerforpreventionofabuse.org or call (309) 691-0551.
Domestic violence is everyone’s business. It affects all of us— every family, every workplace, every community—and each one of us has a role to play in stopping domestic violence. Please know that you hold the power to bring about the social change necessary to enhance the safety and reduce the fear of families living in violent homes.
Each of us holds the power to end domestic violence—one community at a time, one home at a time, one life at a time. All you have to do is make domestic violence your business. TPW
