Wednesday Q&A: How Can I Honor DV Awareness Month?
QUESTION
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. What can I do? What actions make the biggest impact? The stories shared here at Violence Unsilenced make me want to do more, and turn anger (and empathy and inspiration) into action.
ANSWER
Yes! In communities across the country, October is a time of purple ribbons, speak-outs, peace vigils and more. (Similarly, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, another important opportunity for community awareness-raising.)
The best activities are those that inspire real discussion, that empower others to move from bystander to ally (or from ignorance to informed), and that help people challenge the stereotypes and assumptions that allow domestic violence to thrive.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- Ask your local DV agency if they’re planning a calendar of events. Share the calendar with your friends and neighbors (and, if you have time, volunteer to help).
- Create an event or campaign of your own. Write a letter to the editor highlighting common warning signs, ask bars and restaurants to post fliers about local services in their restrooms, or host a speak-out at a community center where survivors and their loved ones can share their stories in a safe and affirming environment. As a helpful resource, the Domestic Violence Awareness Project offers programming ideas, a national DVAM calendar of events, downloadable materials and more.
- Talk about the issue with people you care about. For example, if you have tweens or teens in your life, talk openly with them about the importance of healthy relationships and what they can do if they witness behaviors that make them feel uncomfortable.
- Think critically about the messages portrayed in media, marketing and entertainment — and speak out if something isn’t right.
- Involve your workplace — organize a brown bag discussion with a representative from your local shelter, distribute information about local resources, or ask HR if they have a protocol for how to help victims. Domestic violence represents a huge cost and concern to businesses, and companies can do so much to protect employees and promote safety. Groups like the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the Safe at Work Coalition help companies create safe environments and raise awareness about the problem.
- Involve your house of worship. Ask if you can write an essay for the weekly bulletin dispelling common myths and highlighting how communities can help, or arrange a collection to benefit your local domestic violence shelter.
- Consider making a personal donation — no matter how large or small — to your local domestic violence organization. In today’s economic climate, more and more DV agencies face a rising need for services just as government and private funding sources are shrinking. They need your support now more than ever.
October is a helpful time to make sure these issues rise to the forefront of our communities’ attention. But the truth is, we need to do this work year-round, to make a difference and end this epidemic.
Please exercise the same safe, supportive, non-judgmental restraint in the comment section of the Q&A as you do for survivors, as many of them are reading.
Our volunteer expert, Carrie K., is a trained advocate who has worked with survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault, as well as their families and friends. Her background includes hotline advocacy, community education, and awareness and prevention programming around issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. Most recently, she has worked for a domestic violence intervention and prevention program in Wisconsin. She blogs at rageisgood.blogspot.com
If you have something you have always wanted to know about domestic violence and/or sexual assault, please email your question to carrie [at] violenceunsilenced [dot] com .
3 Responses to “Wednesday Q&A: How Can I Honor DV Awareness Month?”
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I’m not sure that my community actually does much except the odd book sale or donation drive, a few random fundraisers, but we do that all the time. We only have a single small women’s shelter (a converted house with maybe 6 bedrooms) in our city which has a total population of close to 170k with a metro pop of around 68k, we should have a lot more in my opinion..
I know we have donation boxes in several locations year round and we’re given little purple ribbons to show our support. I always donate heavily throughout the year when I can (and since I’m pretty poor that’s obviously not a lot) and I wear my purple ribbons as a badge to show support and a symbol of what I’ve gone through as well.
I’d like to suggest (even if you have no money to donate) any old clothes, toys, bed linens and such should be donated to your local shelters and if you have a garage full of old furniture you don’t need/want perhaps it may be just what your local shelter needs to help the next survivor get set up and on their own feet again…
Also, much like food banks, there’s never really enough. I know my local shelter never says no to a bag of canned goods and the like, if you’re worried about “non profit” charity groups and you’d still like to make a contribution to your community–the local shelter is certainly a good way to help out..
Thank you for this question and the answer. I was trying to put together something to send to our HR department (who co-ordinates all of the campaigns like this for our agency) and you just saved me a lot of work. I’m just gonna forward this link.
Thank you for this post. Lots of great suggestions.