The Presidential Proclamation states, “During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we recognize the significant achievements we have made in reducing domestic violence in America, and we recommit ourselves to the important work still before us. Despite tremendous progress, an average of three women in America die as a result of domestic violence each day. One in four women and one in thirteen men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. These statistics are even more sobering when we consider that domestic violence often goes unreported.”

Read the full proclamation at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/03/presidential-proclamation-national-domestic-violence-awareness-month

OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

In this eNewsletter, we draw attention to new resources and events to support your prevention and awareness efforts during DVAM and throughout the year! The 2011 Campaign in a Box (Just add heart and spirit!) includes a collection of sample materials that can be customized for individual use, educational webinars, and other useful tools to enhance your prevention and awareness efforts.

Resources

Utilizing Social Media – How to Post, Tweet, and Share: Includes 3 webinar recordings – Writing for the Web, Utilizing Social Media to Engage the Community, and Case Study – The Red Pump Project.

Engaging the Press – What to Say and How: Features the webinar recording, Media Advocacy: Getting Our Issues in the News.

Sheltering Animals and Families Together: This webinar recording features the Sheltering Animals and Families Together Program (SAF-T Program).

Events
Register now for these free events sponsored by the NRCDV!

National Call of Unity: Tuesday, October 4 at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific

BlogTalkRadio: Exploring Youth-Driven Prevention Campaigns: Tuesday, October 11 at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific – Sharing stories and lessons from the development and implementation of campaigns emphasizing peace and respect for youth in Alaska and Florida.

Twitter Town Hall: How can we make “healthy relationships” cool for youth?: Wednesday, October 19 at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific – Sharing strategies and lessons on the use of language and generational accessibility.

BlogTalkRadio: Successful Collaborations to Help Runaway/Homeless Youth: Thursday, October 20 at 3:30pm Eastern/12:30 Pacific – Forging successful and sustainable collaborations amongst the RHY and anti-violence fields.

BlogTalkRadio: Engage Print Online Media to Your Advantage: Friday, October 21 at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific – Using traditional and new social media outlets to engage constituents, donors, survivors, and allies to get your message of anti-violence out to the community.

Read more…

Many domestic violence organizations are committed to integrating the voices and experiences of domestic violence survivors into their work. Hearing directly from survivors about their experiences and the impact of domestic violence on their lives, family, and community can inspire and energize others to act, as well as assist in reducing or removing barriers faced by survivors and their children.

When survivors express a desire or willingness to speak out about their experiences, victim advocates are in a unique position to provide support and help them weigh the risks and benefits of sharing their stories publicly. Below are a few critical points for consideration when supporting a survivor through the process of speaking about her/his story in public. These and other relevant points for advocates and survivors are explored in more detail in From the Front of the Room: An Advocates Guide to Help Prepare Survivors for Public Speaking and the accompanying Survivor’s Guide to Public Speaking by the NRCDV (September 2011).

…it is important to leave a legacy… of not being afraid to tell the truth… we must pass this on to our children rather than a legacy of fear and victimization.” ~ SONIA SANCHEZ, Black Women Writers at Work

Read more…

The article reports, “As part of their ongoing commitment to domestic violence awareness and prevention, the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and Verizon will embark on an eight-city cross-country domestic violence awareness tour called Journey of Hope to commemorate October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Journey of Hope tour is the first-ever initiative to collect and record domestic violence stories with smartphones and tablets. The program also gives consumers easy options to support those affected by domestic violence by donating no-longer-used phones and texting donations to support organizations that work with domestic violence victims and survivors. Verizon will also make a donation to a local domestic violence organization in each city.”

Read the full article at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-national-network-to-end-domestic-violence-and-verizon-team-up-to-create-the-first-catalog-of-testimonies-from-the-domestic-violence-community-2011-09-27

Exploring Youth-Driven Prevention Campaigns

As part of our activities to celebrate Domestic Violence Awareness Month, VAWnet & NRCDV are hosting a BlogTalkRadio Show focused on primary prevention!

DATE: Tuesday, October 11th at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific.

TOPIC: Sharing stories and lessons from the development and implementation of campaigns emphasizing peace and respect for youth in Alaska and Florida.

LOCATION: http://bit.ly/YouthDrivenPreventionBlogTalk

See the flyer for more information.

Register now at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2PZWBFT

The article reports, “The Mary Kay Foundation maintains commitment to keeping women safe. The downturn in the economy is driving domestic violence shelters to cut much needed services to domestic violence survivors. More than 670 executive directors of domestic violence shelters reported in the third “Mary Kay Truth About Abuse” national survey of the challenges they are experiencing. In response to this call for help and in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, The Mary Kay Foundation(SM) has awarded $3 million in grants to 150 domestic violence shelters in all 50 states. Each shelter will receive $20,000 that will be used to maintain emergency shelter and rehabilitation programs for women and children.”

Read the full article at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/domestic-violence-shelters-desperate-call-for-help-is-answered-by-the-mary-kay-foundation-with-3-million-donation-2011-09-26