By Daughters of Penelope
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). The Daughters of Penelope offers information and resources you can share with your contacts during the month and beyond.
Resources | Alarming Stats
Domestic violence is a pervasive, life-threatening crime affecting millions of individuals across our nation regardless of age, gender, socio-economic status, race or religion. The statistics (1) are alarming:
- More than 1 in 4 women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
- Approximately 8 million women are raped, physically assaulted, and/or stalked by a current or former intimate partner each year.
- Nationwide, an average of 3 women are killed by a current or former intimate partner every day.
- Approximately 26% of children under the age of 18 are exposed to domestic
- violence in their lifetime
- A study shows that the lifetime economic cost of intimate partner violence to the U.S. population is $5.8 billion.
In One Day… A 2022 24-hour survey of 1,642 domestic violence programs across the U.S. found that a staggering 79,335 victims were served in one day. However, 12,692 requests for services (such as emergency shelter, transportation, or legal representation) went unmet because programs lacked the resources to provide them. An estimated 53 percent of the unmet services were for Housing and Emergency Shelter (2).
(1) Statistics by National Network to End Domestic Violence, “Domestic and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet.”
(2)17th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Report
Take Action.
What You Can Do to Make a Difference.
Raise Awareness during DVAM!
- DVAM Week of Action: October 16 to 22
- Social Media: Use #DVAM2022, #endDV, #BelieveSurvivors, #PurpleThursday
- Wear Purple! October 19 is Purple Thursday!
- Support a local domestic violence shelter
- Share the White House Proclamation
- Share Stats from the 17th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Summary (here)
- Raise awareness about how a survivor can find help (see Hotline info below)
Educate Congress
There is plenty of work to do to educate members of Congress about the importance of supporting federal programs and legislation that support victims of crime and domestic violence. Federal programs of importance include Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA), Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), and Victims of Crime Act/Crime Victims’ Fund (VOCA). Congress must:
- Invest and prioritize FY2024 federal funding to address and prevent domestic violence
- Pass the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act (H.R. 2064). FVPSA is the key to our nation’s response to domestic violence, ensuring more than 1,500 local domestic violence shelters—like Penelope House and Penelope Place–can provide emergency shelter, crisis counseling, legal assistance, and other life-saving services. It also funds the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
- Encourage your U.S. representative to join the bipartisan Congressional Crime Survivors & Justice Caucus.
- If you have an interest to outreach to your members of Congress, please contact Daughters of Penelope Executive Director Elena Saviolakis, [email protected].
Resources | Hotlines
- 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
- (206) 518-9361 (Video Phone Only for Deaf Callers)
- If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
- Hotline website
- About the Hotline (Hotline Fact Sheet)
- Additional Hotlines
Inform | National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
About | Federal Grant Programs
- Department of Justice: Office of Violence Against Women
- Department of Justice: Office for Victims of Crime, Crime Victims Fund
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