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The Local Take: October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

This week on WCLK's The Local Take(Saturdays 8am) we’re talking about Domestic Violence Awareness Month designated annually in October. This is another concern where the stigma against victims occurs. There isn’t one demographic that prevents a person from being a victim of domestic violence. It appears in mansions and apartments. I reached out to our advocacy organization, the Partnership Against Domestic Violence. A few of the national statistics include: 

- On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the USA.

- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence. Intimate partner contacts sexual violence and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services, contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, etc.

- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

- 1 in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime to the point in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.

- On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.

These are depressing statistics. Nancy Friauf, the CEO of Partnership Against Domestic Violence, joins us to discuss it.

I ask Friauf to describe domestic violence looks like in our community. She explained that it looks the same no matter the community. All demographics, races, education, religions. As with almost everything the COVID19 Pandemic exacerbates the problem based on police and emergency room reports. Friauf speaks about the cycle of abuse. She shares that knowing the cycle and actually living in the cycle are two different things. The reasons people stay are complicated and involve fear, finances, and emotions.

PADV provides an 24/7 line 404.873.1765 to provide help I ask Friauf how we begin to change this story? In kindergarten, we’re taught to keep our hands to ourselves. It’s the number one lesson for living in a civilized society. Why is this so hard for some humans to do? She speaks to abusers being abused and that help must be provided for both partners.

I also spoke with Laura Mora, an advocate at The International Women's House. They are hosting a Zoom webinar on Safety is Self Care on October 14th at 10AM. The home was established in 1995 by the Junior League to serve a diverse population. Mora talks about the virtual world symbol victims are using to signal they need help. She also shares that domestic violence, occurs with the same frequency in both native and immigrant homes.

Their crises number is 404.618.8042

Mora says that the International Women's Home is always in need of cleaning supplies.

090821_laura_mora.mp3
Kiplyn Primus talks with Laura Mora, an advocate at The International Women's House, on WCLK's The Local Take.

For more information on PADV

For more information on the International Women's House.