October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By Tonya Lee
  • JBSA-Randolph Violence Prevention Integrator
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas --  

In 1989, Congress declared October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence affects our local civilian and military communities regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.

Physical violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior as part of a much larger, systematic pattern of power and control and attempts to dehumanize.

Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological trauma, and even death. The devastating consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime.

People who are in an abusive relationship will stay with their partner for a number of reasons.  Some of these reasons are:

  • The cycle of abuse, meaning the “honeymoon phase” that follows physical and mental abuse, makes them believe their partner really is sorry and does love them.
  • It’s dangerous to leave. According to the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, women are 70 times more likely to be killed in the weeks after leaving their abusive partner than at any other time in the relationship.
  • Statistics suggest that almost 5 percent of male homicide victims each year are killed by an intimate partner.
  • They share a life. Marriages, children, homes, pets, and finances are a big reason victims of abuse feel they can’t leave.

To help bring awareness to National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and provide support to victims and survivors, the Joint Base San Antonio Violence Prevention Program is hosting and supporting a number of events for the month.

These include:

Oct. 1-29 – Toiletry collection for local domestic violence/homeless shelters. Place a collection box in your organization and collect toiletries (soap, toothbrushes, underwear (men, women, and children), socks (men, women, and children), combs, brushes, feminine care products, disinfected spray, disinfected wipes, hand sanitizer, etc.,) throughout the month of October.  Then, on or before Oct. 29, contact me at tonya.lee.1@us.af.mil for pickup or delivery.  

Oct. 1-31– Unity on Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) – Change your profile picture to purple and/or add a frame to promote the end of Domestic Violence.

Remember, if you or someone you know needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at https://www.thehotline.org/ ( chat feature is available); call 800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1 (800) 787-3224; or text “START” to 88788.