Each October, we join hundreds of other organizations to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month. DVAM is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of these issues, share resources, and most importantly, support survivors.

Domestic violence is widespread and affects people from all walks of life; one in four women and one in seven men have suffered severe violence from an intimate partner. The effects of domestic violence can last a lifetime, and each person heals differently.

Over the past several weeks, we have invited domestic violence survivors to answer one question: What is the most supportive thing someone said or did to help you through your experience? We received an outpouring of different answers from our community.

Survivors told us about getting support from their parents, children, friends, local shelters, and everyone in between. Their loved ones helped them move out of their homes, sat with them at their favorite coffee shops, joined them for important meetings, and simply listened. 

Throughout DVAM, we will share some of these powerful stories with our community in our new #SupportAfterDV campaign. Each story or quote is from a survivor and in their own words. By sharing this collection of survivors’ voices, we aim to shine a spotlight on the many ways you can support the survivors in your life.

If you haven’t already, you can share your own story about what support looks like to you by filling out our anonymous survey or publicly sharing your story on social media using the hashtag #SupportAfterDV. We may feature some of your stories on social media throughout the month.

We look forward to sharing these stories with you this month and continuing this conversation all year round.

If you or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, please know you are not alone. For support, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224. Si necesita ayuda en español, visite nuestras páginas. Learn how you can support a survivor.