October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The United Church of Christ (UCC) Wellness Ministries reminds us that "domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of employment or educational level, race or ethnicity, religion, marital status, physical ability, age, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. In the U.S., an average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner. For many adults and children, home is not a safe place."

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to "break the silence" and bring attention to the plight of domestic violence victims. The Domestic Violence Awareness Project offers a variety of free educational materials that can be shared with your congregation (UCC Wellness Ministries):

• The Clothesline Project – This is a Break the Silence Project that began in 1990, offering a visual witness to violence against women. An exemplar in the UCC Wellness Ministries Toolkit explains how a UCC church and a community joined together to create this meaningful tribute and educational project.
  

• Safe Havens Interfaith Partnerships Against Domestic Violence provides a webinar series for advocates and faith leaders (clergy and lay). Topics include: Abusers in the Congregation, Supporting Victims and Survivors of Elder Abuse, Domestic Violence Through a Christian Lens, and Between Compassion and Accountability: Guidelines for Faith Leaders Responding to People Who Abuse Intimate Partners.
  

• Find Ways to Start a Conversation – Talking with someone about abuse is hard for both people. The survivor may not want to talk about their situation for any number of reasons, including fear, shame, additional violence by the abuser, or even concern for the partner that is abusing them.
  

• Supporting Victims and Survivors of Dating Violence in Our Faith Communities – A Guide for Faith Leaders and Congregations.
  

• BTSADV (Break the Silence – Domestic Violence) – supports individuals experiencing domestic violence by offering a lifeline of understanding, resources, and empowerment.
  

We also uphold in prayer our own UCC Transition House as they hold their annual benefit dinner, "Building Lives, Building Hope" on October 17. The Transition House is a safe house for women and their children who are survivors of domestic violence. Learn more about this organization HERE.