October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time when we raise public awareness about community responsibility towards domestic violence and when we educate individuals on where to seek resources. Throughout the month, Safe Alliance will be sharing information, resources, stories from survivors, and more to raise awareness for domestic violence. Be on the look out!
Thank you to everyone who came out to our Breakfast of Hope and Pop-Up For Hope events! We're incredibly grateful for your participation and support. If you weren't able to join us, we are pleased to share the livestream recording with you. Watch at your convenience to view the powerful story of two survivors, hear agency updates from Safe Alliance's program leadership, and learn how domestic and sexual violence are impacting our community. Feel free to share with friends and loved ones!
This October you can still be part of the movement to provide hope and healing for survivors. Make a gift now to empower Mecklenburg County survivors and ensure Safe Alliance's life-saving services remain available for our community. From now until October 31, your gift will be matched --$1 for $1 up to $10,000--by the Open Hearts Foundation!
Thank you for your support during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We would not be able to do the work we do or provide life-changing resources without you.
- -
Types of Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is an epidemic affecting individuals in every community regardless of age, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion, or nationality. There are a number of forms of domestic violence, including:
- Physical abuse: Includes any intentional act that causes injury or trauma through bodily contact, such as beating, slapping, punching, kicking, and choking/strangling.
- Verbal abuse: Uses speech as an act of violence to decrease the victim's self-confidence and adds to feelings of helplessness. Some examples include name-calling, insulting, making threats, or blaming.
- Emotional abuse: Subtle and difficult to detect, emotional abuse erodes the victim's self-esteem and creates psychological dependency on the abuser. Some tactics include insulting, gaslighting, and blaming.
- Sexual abuse: Unwanted sexual activity, with abusers using force, making threats, or taking advantage of victims not able to give consent. Examples include sexual harassment, sexual assault, or coercions.
- Financial abuse: Occurs when the abuser controls the victim's access to economic resources by restricting access to finances, preventing victims from working, and spending the victim's money without their knowledge.
- Digital abuse: Use of technology to harass, stalk, or intimidate the victim using tactics like monitoring the victim's whereabouts, looking through through the victim's phone/computer, and constantly texting/calling/messaging.
- Reproductive coercion: A form of power and control where the abuser strips the victim of the ability to control their own reproductive system. Tactics include sabotaging birth control, forcing pregnancy or abortions, and lying about methods of birth control.
If you're in an abusive relationship and need support, call our 24/7 Greater Charlotte Hope Line today: 980.771.4673.
In an emergency please dial 911
Call the Greater Charlotte Hope Line 24/7 for info on parenting, domestic violence and sexual assault 980.771.4673.
