Domestic Violence Awareness Month takes place in October.

Join HOPE of Ogle County this October for a month of events and activities to engage the community in open dialogue about domestic violence, raise awareness about the impact of domestic violence, and show unwavering support for survivors.

This year, HOPE is #ShiningALightOnDomesticViolence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47.3% of women and 44.2% of men in the United States have reported contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime. The CDC also finds that lesbian women (56.3%), gay men (47.7%), bisexual women (69.3%), and bisexual men (46.1%) face even higher rates of violence.

High rates of domestic violence are not private, individual problems; they require community solutions. By acknowledging this reality, we can collectively work toward ending domestic violence and creating safe, healthy communities for everyone.

Everyone can join the movement this DVAM.

Watch HOPE’s Facebook page for upcoming events, including In Their Shoes, an interactive event taking participants through a victim’s journey

Social Media Campaign: Engage with HOPE on social media as it shares stories, resources, and messages of hope, spreading the word and creating a united front against domestic violence.

Purple Thursday: On Thursday, Oct. 16, wear purple to show your support of domestic violence survivors and your commitment to ending abuse. Take a selfie in your purple and share it on social media with #PurpleThursday #DVAM #ShiningALightOnDomesticViolence.

GiveForDV: Visit https://hopedv.org/#donation to make a gift on the official DVAM Day of Giving on Thursday, Oct. 23. Or sign up for your own fundraiser to encourage friends and family to support survivors all month.