National Domestic Violence Hotline Recognizes Domestic Violence Awareness Month by Asking Public to Do Just One Thing to End Abuse

For Immediate Release 

Austin, TX – September 28, 2018 – The National Domestic Violence Hotline is inviting the public to participate in a special campaign this October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month by committing to do “one thing” to end relationship abuse. In partnership with advocacy organizations across the U.S., The Hotline is calling on members of the media, advocates, partners, supporters, survivors, and others to make a collective difference in the ongoing effort to end relationship abuse.

Anyone can become a part of the #1Thing campaign by sharing what they’re doing or what they plan to do to end the epidemic of domestic violence. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, about 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime.

To join, participants are asked to tape a short message, 30-60 seconds on their smartphone and to answer the question, “What is the one thing you are doing, or plan to do, to end domestic violence?” and then share their video on social media using the hashtags #1Thing and #NDVH.

Many people care and understand that domestic violence is a serious public health problem, but they don’t take action. They want to do something but believe their actions can’t make a difference. Just imagine if each of us committed to doing one thing – this collective action could create real social transformation.

“Every day for the past 22 years, our advocates at The Hotline have answered calls from people seeking support, information, and resources. We hope that one day our services will no longer be needed, but until that day comes we look for solutions and we offer hope to anyone affected by abuse,” said Katie Ray-Jones, chief executive officer of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. “It’s important that we continue to be there for victims and survivors and to work as a collective to end domestic violence once and for all.”

BACKGROUND ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The Hotline’s recently released 2017 Impact Report  shows 323,356 calls, chats, and texts were answered by its advocates, but 98,159 went unanswered due to a lack of resources. Additionally, the reports revealed the following:

  • 74% increase in number of contacts indicating that firearms played a role in their abuse
  • 13% increase in number of contacts related to immigration, consistent with a national trend among domestic and sexual violence service providers
  • 11% increase in contacts from persons who reported their abusive situation involved children
  • 7% increase in contacts related to suicide (attempts or threats of suicide used as coercion by abuser)

The types of domestic violence most discussed during these contacts included:

Emotional Abuse: 86% reported some type of emotional and verbal abuse.

Emotionally abusive partners often exert power and control over their partners by limiting who their partners see, what they do, and where they go. They instill shame and fear and often demean their partners with insults, threats, and punishments that slowly eat away at their partner’s self-worth. Emotional abusers may prevent their partners from making decisions, and sometimes they prevent them from working outside of the home or seeing family and friends – isolating them.

Physical Abuse: 60% reported some type of physical abuse such as hitting, biting, and choking.

Physical abuse is often what most people think about when we use the term domestic violence.

Financial Abuse: 22%.

Contacts reported that their abusers were stealing money or limiting access to money, using their partner’s credit cards or forcing their partners to co-sign on lines of credit. Some forced their partners to open joint accounts and prevented them from opening separate accounts or having access to their own money.

Digital Abuse: 12%.

Examples of digital abuse include using GPS or a phone to stalk their partners or track their travel, sending relentless text messages, closely monitoring computer use and using cameras in the home to monitor activities. The digital abuse category adapts as innovations in technology expand.

Sexual Abuse: 10%.

Abusive partners may do things such as forcing unwanted sexual activity, involving other people in sexual activities without permission, forced viewing of pornography or demanding their partner wear sexually explicit clothing.

About the National Domestic Violence Hotline

The National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) is a vital service that answers the call to support and shift power back to victims and survivors of relationship abuse through human connection and practical assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The Hotline’s highly-trained, expert advocates provide compassionate support to anyone who reaches out for help with lifesaving resources, safety planning, and hope. The Hotline is a non-profit organization established in 1996 as a component of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and has been supported each year thereafter with funding under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. For more information, visit TheHotline.org or to speak with an advocate, call 1-800-799-SAFE.

loveisrespect is a project of The Hotline. Its purpose is to engage, educate and empower young people to prevent and end abusive relationships. The organization provides information and support to concerned friends and family members, teachers, counselors, service providers and members of law enforcement. Free and confidential phone, live chat and texting services are also available around the clock. Advocates provide support through online chat at loveisrespect.org, text (send loveis to 22522*) or phone, 1-866-331-9474. *Msg&Data Rates apply on text for help services. Read our privacy policy and Terms & Conditions. Text STOP to 22522 to unsubscribe. Text HELP to 22522 for tech support. loveisrespect Text for Help Services are sponsored by Mary Kay Inc.

The Hotline relies on the generous support of individuals, private gifts from corporations and foundations and federal grants. It is funded in part by Grant Number 90EV0407/03 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)/Administration for Children and Families. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Administration for Children and Families or the U.S. Department of HHS.