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Building safe homes

Posted 10/4/22

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time when we acknowledge domestic violence survivors, listen to the voices of its victims and take steps to support programs that assist people in …

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Building safe homes

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time when we acknowledge domestic violence survivors, listen to the voices of its victims and take steps to support programs that assist people in need.

Domestic violence is not unique to any specific community. It impacts all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. 

According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), physical violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior as part of a much larger, systematic pattern of dominance and control.  It can cause  physical injury, psychological trauma and even death. 

The devastating consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime.

According to NCTSN, there has been substantial progress in reducing domestic violence. Yet there’s still an average of 20 people who are physically abused by intimate partners every minute. This equates to more than 10 million abuse victims annually. NCTSN says that one in three women and one in four men have been physically abused by an intimate partner, and one in five women and one in  seven men have been severely physically abused by an intimate partner. 

Millions of Americans are living in fear within their own homes. Millions more children are exposed to the lasting trauma of domestic violence. 

Fearless! (formerly known as Safe Homes of Orange County) is the only private, not-for-profit agency in Orange and Sullivan Counties dedicated to assisting survivors of domestic violence, teen dating violence and human trafficking by providing free and confidential services. In 2021 alone they received over 11,000 calls to their hotline and have served more than 5,400 adults and children. 

Fearless! Is hosting its 5th annual We Can Be Heroes 5K at the Orange County Airport in Montgomery on Sunday, October 16.  Visit tinyurl.com/m6h77es2 to see details about this event and visit www.fearlesshv.org to learn more about efforts all year long to confront domestic violence. 

Together we can ensure that everyone knows there’s help available. 

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