Breaking Domestic Violence Silence

Several years ago a woman at my work, Karen Cox Smith, lost her life to domestic violence. The killer was an estranged husband who had subjected her to 19 years of abuse. Although I did not know Karen, several of my colleagues did and our entire community was devastated by her death.

Karen’s story is not original. In 2013, the year she died, 118 other Texas women also lost their lives to domestic violence. In the United States alone, an average of 20 people are physically abused by intimate partners every minute. This equates to more than 10 million abuse victims annually.

Because October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I wanted to use my post to raise awareness and provide both local and national resources. 

Resources

• Ted Talks: Leslie Morgan Steiner:  She was in “crazy love” — that is, madly in love with a man who routinely abused her and threatened her life. Steiner tells the dark story of her relationship, correcting misconceptions many people hold about victims of domestic violence, and explaining how we can all help break the silence. 

• Power and Control Wheel: The Power and Control diagram is a particularly helpful tool in understanding the overall pattern of abusive and violent behaviors, which are used by a batterer to establish and maintain control over his partner.
• Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support: The Cycle of Domestic Violence: Domestic violence follows a typical pattern no matter when it occurs or who is involved.
• The Family Place: How To Talk To Someone You Think May Be Abused: “What helped me the most was a neighbor who confronted me when she hardly knew me and offered to help whenever I was ready to take the first step.” —Teresa, survivor of domestic violence
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233): Their highly-trained advocates are available 24/7 to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship.
• Other Dallas Resources.

What Can You Do This Month?

• Help the Dallas Domestic Violence Taskforce paint the town purple! The task force is made up of 40 plus members of various Dallas area agencies whose primary focus is the prevention and eradication of domestic violence and the support of its victims. Show your support by wearing purple (the color of Domestic Violence Awareness Month) during October and use this as a way to tell others why ending domestic violence is important to you. ​​Follow the Dallas Task Force on Twitter @​​​DallasDVTF, Facebook​ and use the hashtags #BigDEndsDV. 
• Shine Purple: Show your support for ending domestic violence and making all homes safe with a purple porch light! Thanks to a generous donation from Walmart, the Dallas Task Force is able to distribute a limited number of purple light bulbs at locations throughout the city. Pick up your free light bulb at a location in your district the week of October 5. Display your purple porch light and send in your neighborhood pics on Twitter! #PaintBigDPurple​
• Attend a 2015 Dallas Domestic Violence Awareness Month Event. 
• Support Shelter Stores: Clean out your closets, kitchen cabinets, garage, etc. and donate these items to the Genesis Thrift Store, located at 3419 Knight Street (Knight and Lemmon Avenue) Dallas, 75219 or The Family Place Resale Shop, 11722 Marsh Lane, Suite 354, Dallas, TX 75229 (Southeast corner of the Park Forest Shopping Center).
• Donate Your Old Phone: HopeLine provides ways for individuals to take action against domestic violence by donating no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories in any condition from any service provider. 
• Twibbon Campaign: Turn your Facebook and Twitter profile photos purple with the Twibbon app. Change your profile picture in October to show that you support for the end of violence in your community!

Domestic violence thrives in silence; but if we take a stand and work together, we can end it.