Dublin Police joined members of the Cross Timbers Family Services last week in tying purple ribbons around the Corner Lot at the corner of Patrick and Blackjack.
The ribbons were place in order to raise awareness of October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
CTFS had the following to say in announcing Domestic Violence Awareness Month:
Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a time for all of us to speak up about domestic violence, raise awareness, and support survivors of this devastating but common issue.
Domestic and Family Violence isn’t always physical, it can be Financial, Emotional or Technological Abuse.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone and it is present in every community, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, socioeconomic status, religion, or nationality.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying lockdowns, social distancing, and other mitigation measures have only exacerbated domestic violence. Historically, domestic violence has increased during pandemics and economic crises, both of which we are experiencing right now, and this time is no different. Worldwide, incidences of domestic violence are increasing while the usual escapes for survivors – shelters, police restraining orders, friends and family, and others may not be accessible now due to fears of contracting and/or spreading the virus, social distancing, and limited services.
Join Cross Timbers Family Services as we use this month, to stand up, speak out and advocate for survivors of domestic violence in our community!
They also released the following statistics:
■ One in three women and one in four men are the victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime
■ 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner within the U.S.
■ 34% of people injured by an intimate partner receive medical care for their injuries
■ Domestic violence accounts for 15 % of all crime within the U.S.
■ 20,000 phone calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines on a typical day
■ The risk of homicide is increased by 500% when a gun is present in a domestic violence situation
■ 72% of murder/suicides involve an intimate partner. 94% of the victims of these murder/suicides are female.
■ Women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly physically abused by an intimate partner.
For more information on CTFS, visit crosstimbershelps.org or call (254) 965-5516 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A 24-hour emergency hotline is available at (866) 934-4357.