By: Animesh Joshi and Connor Liu
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) , a time to recognize victims and survivors of domestic violence as well as take action to prevent it from happening in the future. In today’s society, domestic violence has become taboo and an unspoken issue; as a result, it remains entrenched in our communities and societies across the world. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, an average of 24 people per minute are victims of some form of gender-based violence – rape, physical violence, or stalking – in the United States. That’s roughly equivalent to over 12 million women and men affected by gender-based violence over the span of one year. But, victims of domestic violence aren’t just “numbers.” These alarming statistics represent real human beings, each with their own lived experience and hardships. In the face of this, DVAM is a time to recognize the pervasiveness of the problem at hand. It’s clear that action needs to be taken, which is why we want to reflect on domestic violence throughout the month – its origins, what it is, what we should do, and how youth can get involved. A History on Domestic Violence Awareness Month: DVAM was first observed in 1987. It represented an evolution from its predecessor, “Day of Unity” which was started in 1981 as a means of connecting advocates wanting to end violence against women and children. Gradually, the day became a week for work dedicated to ending violence and eventually, in 1989, the United States Congress passed a law that designated October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. What is Domestic Violence? There are many different forms of domestic violence. We’ve isolated a couple of key ones to explain how they function and what they look like.
What Should We Do?
Get Involved: If you’re interested in getting involved, there are numerous peer-led services created for and by teens young adults.
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Year ARchive
February 2023
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