10/23/2025
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month 💜
This month — and every month — I want to speak from both the heart and the facts.
I believe that awareness begins with seeing the truth — and then responding with empathy, compassion, and action. If you’re reading this, I hope you’ll join me in making space for the realities of intimate partner and domestic violence, for survivors, for their stories, and for our collective responsibility.
💜 Let’s start with the facts:
👉🏽 More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the U.S. have experienced r**e, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
👉🏽 Over 10 million adults experience domestic violence every year in the U.S.
👉🏽 More than half of intimate partner violence cases are never reported to police.
👉🏽 Domestic violence happens in every community — regardless of income, race, gender, or education.
Sources:
CDC – Intimate Partner Violence
https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html
The Hotline – Domestic Violence Statistics
https://www.thehotline.org/stakeholders/domestic-violence-statistics/
OJP.gov – Domestic Violence Overview
https://www.ojp.gov/feature/domestic-violence/overview
💭 Common Myths & the Truth Behind Them
❌ Myth 1: “Domestic violence only happens in certain types of families.”
✅ Truth: Abuse can affect anyone — it’s about power and control, not background.
❌ Myth 2: “If someone stays, it must not be that bad.”
✅ Truth: Leaving can be the most dangerous time. Survivors face emotional, financial, and safety barriers that outsiders rarely see.
❌ Myth 3: “If there are no bruises, it’s not abuse.”
✅ Truth: Emotional, psychological, and financial abuse are all forms of domestic violence. The scars we don’t see are often the deepest.
❌ Myth 4: “It only happens to women.”
✅ Truth: While women are most often impacted, men and people in LGBTQ+ relationships experience domestic violence too.
💗 Awareness + Compassion = Change
✔️ Listen without judgment.
✔️ Believe survivors.
✔️ Offer support, not solutions.
✔️ Educate yourself and others on the pattern of power and control.
✔️ Promote healthy communication and boundaries in every relationship.
If you’ve been hurt, please know this:
You are not alone. You deserve safety, peace, and love that doesn’t hurt.
If you know someone who may be struggling — check in.
A simple, “I’m here if you ever need to talk,” can make a life-changing difference.
Let’s choose awareness over silence, compassion over shame, and connection over isolation. 💜
📞 If you or someone you know needs help:
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
or text “START” to 88788