October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, and since October has just started, we at the Clarion are here to inform you about the history of this month and what it represents. It started in 1981 as a “Day of Unity” that was meant to bring together survivors and supporters alike, but this day extended into a month to further bring awareness and support to the issue of domestic violence

According to the  United States Department of Justice,  an estimated 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are victims of domestic violence every year. These numbers are staggering, and many people are not aware of the magnitude of this problem. This month intends to not only bring aid to survivors, but to inform the general public about how many people are affected by domestic violence every year.

People who are victims of domestic violence often have their self-esteem affected by their abuser and therefore, are less likely to reach out for help. Additionally, victims are often caught in a cycle of abuse and are not even aware they are in an abusive relationship. By recognizing this month, people are able to bring more awareness to the issue of domestic violence. The goal is to help victims identify that they are in an abusive relationship and give resources to reach out to for help or counseling.

You can help bring awareness to this issue by using the #VoicesHavePower or #DomesticViolenceAwareness to further inform people about this month. If you or someone you know are a victim of domestic abuse, you can call the Nation Domestic Violence Hotline at 1?800?799?7233.