National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Observed
October 2005 marks the 19th annual commemoration of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. During this month, our nation will join together to address the devastating impact of domestic violence on individuals, families, communities, and our nation as a whole, and will promote the prevention of domestic violence and improve rights and services for victims.
Domestic violence is a devastating and often deadly crime that affects us all. It is a crime that requires collaborative prevention and response efforts from criminal and juvenile justice agencies, victim assistance programs, legal advocacy agencies, public and mental health systems, schools, and civic and political leaders, among others.
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month was created in 1987 to unite advocates for battered women across the nation who sought to end violence against women and children, as well as to promote greater public awareness of the impact domestic violence has on individuals, communities, and our nation as a whole.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice
• Each year, 1.5 million women and 835,000 men are raped or physically assaulted by an intimate partner.
• Nearly a half-million women and more than 186,000 men are stalked each year by a current or former intimate partner.
• One out of every three women experiences at least one physical assault by an intimate partner during adulthood.
• Eleven percent of all homicides occur in the home.
Domestic Violence Awareness
• October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month - a nationwide effort by criminal justice agencies to raise public awareness about domestic violence.
• Domestic violence is about one person getting and keeping power and control over another person in an intimate relationship.
• Domestic violence happens to people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and religions. It occurs in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships. Economic or professional status does not indicate domestic violence - abusers and victims can be laborers or college professors, judges or janitors, doctors or orderlies, schoolteachers, truck drivers, homemakers or store clerks. Domestic violence occurs in the poorest ghettos, the fanciest mansions and white-picket-fence neighborhoods.
• Even if domestic violence doesn’t affect you personally, you can help by reporting cases of abuse to local authorities, and teach the next generation that this behavior is wrong.
Orders of Protection
An Order of Protection is a legal order from a judge used to help protect victims of domestic abuse. It contains "remedies" which order an abuser to take certain actions or prohibits him from taking certain actions. The abuser, listed as the "respondent," can be arrested for violating certain remedies listed in an order of protection. A protected person cannot be arrested for violating an Order of Protection. An Order of Protection can be obtained in one of the following ways:
Contacting a local domestic violence program and asking for help. To locate the nearest program, call 1-800-799-SAFE(7233).
Going to the local circuit clerk’s office and asking for help.
Ask a private attorney to file a petition in civil court (such as divorce court).
Requesting an order when criminal charges are being filed.
Donate A Phone
Through the collection of deactivated cell and wireless phones, an important tool has been provided for victims of domestic violence who may encounter emergency situations. The lifeline provided by donated phones has saved lives and can continue to do so with your help.
If you have an old phone and charger that you would like to donate, contact your local domestic violence program. To locate the nearest program, call 1-800-799-SAFE(7233).
Phone donations may be tax deductible. Always check with your tax advisor regarding tax deductible contributions.
Domestic Violence in the United States - A Closer Look at the Statistics
According to the National Institute of Justice, 1.5 million women and 835,000 men are raped or physically assaulted by an intimate partner each year.
Because the number of victimizations far exceeds the number of victims, the National Institute of Justice estimates there are 4.8 million intimate partner rapes and physical assaults against women annually, and 2.9 million intimate partner physical assaults against men annually.
A 2003 report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that the annual health-related costs of rape, physical assault, stalking, and homicide by intimate partners exceeds $5.8 billion each year.
Nearly one-third of American women reported being physically or sexually abused by an intimate partner at some point in their lives, according to a 1998 study by the Commonwealth Fund.
The U.S. Department of Justice reports that while women are less likely than men to be victims of violent crimes overall, women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 324,000 pregnant women are victims of intimate partner violence annually.
An American Psychological Association report found that boys who witness violence in their homes are 1,000 times more likely to become abusers when they reach adulthood.
The U.S. Department of Justice reports that women ages 16 to 24 are the most likely victims of intimate partner violence.
One out of every five couples experienced domestic violence in the past year, according to the American Journal of Public Health.
For additional statistics on domestic violence and its effects, visit the website of the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence at www.abanet.org/domviol/stats.html or the Violence Policy Center’s Web site at www.vpc.org. If you are a victim of Domestic Violence, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233 (TTY 800-787-3224) for help or information.