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Fostering Hope, Safety & Healing

Every October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) calls upon us to raise awareness about domestic violence in all its forms, honor the lives lost, and renew our commitment to justice and healing for survivors.

Domestic violence often hides behind silence and stigma — impacting people across every community. It may even affect someone you know. Join us and take time to connect with friends and family, reflect on your own relationships, and share resources that can bring hope and safety to others.

Recognizing Domestic Violence

Domestic violence can affect anyone — regardless of age, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic status, education, or religion. It is a recurring, deliberate pattern of behaviors perpetrated by a current or former intimate partner to gain and maintain power and control in a relationship.

Domestic violence includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, or injure someone, and may include emotional, psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and spiritual abuse.

Often, abuse begins subtly and escalates over time. Survivors may feel confused, overwhelmed, or trapped by ongoing coercion and isolation, making it difficult to recognize.

The ongoing exposure to abuse and the resulting trauma can have lasting effects on mental, emotional, and physical health. The journey to safety and healing is different for every survivor and takes time, compassion, and support.

Community Need

Domestic violence is one of the most pervasive threats to safety and well-being in our community:

• 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experience severe forms of domestic violence in their lifetime, regardless of their background (Centers for Disease Control).
• More than half (54%) of transgender or non-binary people experience domestic violence (National Center for Transgender Equality).
• 1 in 5 children and youth experience domestic violence in their homes (Blue Shield of California Foundation).
• 99% of domestic violence survivors experience financial abuse, including forced job loss, coerced debt, and damaged credit (Allstate Foundation).
• In San Diego County, law enforcement responded to nearly 17,000 domestic violence incidents last year, although the majority are not reported due to fear and intimidation (San Diego Association of Governments).

How You Can Take Action

This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, join us in breaking the silence and standing with survivors. Here are some meaningful ways to get involved:

• Start the conversation — Talk with friends, family, and neighbors to raise awareness and reduce stigma.
• Learn the signs — Understand the warning signs of abuse and learn more about your options.
• Provide support — Offer compassion, listen without judgment, respect survivors’ decisions, and learn how to help someone.
• Give hope — Make an online gift to support YWCA’s life-changing solutions for adult and child survivors.
• Advocate for change — Contact your legislators to support survivor-centered policies that expand protections and resources.
• Wear purple — Show solidarity by wearing purple, the color of domestic violence awareness. Share a selfie with hashtags #DVAM25 and #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth!

Domestic violence persists in silence — but together, we can raise awareness, support survivors, and create pathways to safety and healing.

Your voice matters. Your action matters. And your support matters.

Learn more, share resources, and stand with survivors this October.