October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Everyone deserves to live without fear!

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Our Sacred Heart Center staff will be busy with activities and events to raise awareness of domestic violence throughout the month.

Staff at Cheyenne River Indian Outreach are always working to educate community members, change attitudes and bring awareness about domestic and sexual violence. However, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides a great opportunity to do even more to end domestic violence for good.

Studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Native American women experience violence at a higher rate than women of other races. However, communities everywhere need to be concerned about domestic violence. Here are some facts*:

An estimated 51.7% of American Indian/Alaska Native women experienced physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime. In comparison:

51.3% of multiracial women,
41.2% of non-Hispanic black women,
30.5% of non-Hispanic white women,
29.7% of Hispanic women and
15.3% of Asian or Pacific Islander women have experienced physical violence.

In the United States, an estimated 15.2% of women (18.3 million women) have experienced stalking during their lifetimes. Many feel very fearful or believe that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.
After experiencing violence by an intimate partner, studies show an estimated 20.7% of women were concerned for their safety. Additionally:

20% experienced one or more PTSD symptoms
6.9% needed medical care
3.6% needed housing services
3.3% needed victim advocate services
8.8% needed legal services
2.8% contacted a crisis hotline
9.1% missed at least one day of work or school

Thank you for sharing your blessings to help put an end to domestic violence everywhere!

*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (September 5, 2014). Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization – United States, 2011. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 63(SS08);1-18. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6308a1.htm

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