National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Activities
July 25, 2002
Each October, national domestic violence organizations and their allies sponsor Domestic Violence
Awareness Month (DVAM) activities to raise awareness about domestic abuse at the national level. Government agencies,
corporate and business leaders, professional associations, law enforcement agencies, hospitals and others take part in national
DVAM activities. The activities include campaigns encouraging domestic violence awareness in the workplace and in health
care settings, charity shopping days and national days of recognition.
The following list includes some
of the many national DVAM activities planned for this October. Each listing includes contact information. Battered
women’s advocates are encouraged to contact the sponsoring organizations to find out more about each event and explore
how local communities can get involved. Advocates often can join national events, linking their local activities to national
campaigns. Please note that this list is not comprehensive; it is a sample of the national events that will take place in
October.
· Fundraising T-Shirt Sale throughout the month. Organized by Liz Claiborne, Inc., the month-long fundraising
event donates 100 percent of all “love is not abuse” t-shirt sales to local and national domestic violence charity
partners. The limited edition t-shirts will be available at Liz Claiborne and Elisabeth stores nationwide; they also can be
ordered in October by calling 800-499-STOP. For more information, contact Jennifer Gorevitz at 212/229-0500, ext. 249.
· Work to End Domestic Violence
Day on October 1. Organized by the Family Violence Prevention
Fund, this day raises awareness of domestic violence as a workplace issue through workplace-based activities planned by battered
women’s advocates, businesses, government agencies and unions across the country. For more information visit the Family Violence Prevention Fund’s web site, or contact Marissa Dagdagan at 415/252-8900.
· Unity Day on October 1. Organized by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence,
the day’s activities include candlelight vigils, marches and scores of other domestic violence awareness events across
the country. For more information, contact Rita Smith at 303/839-1852.
· Shop ‘Til it Stops Day on October 3. Organized by Marshalls, on this day Marshalls donates a percentage
of all sales from its stores across the country to the Family Violence Prevention Fund." For more information, contact Colleen
Healy at 508/390-6543.
· Health Cares About Domestic
Violence Day on October 9. Organized by the National
Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence, a project of the Family Violence Prevention Fund, this day encourages health
care providers to “Screen to Prevent Abuse” through domestic violence awareness programs planned by hospitals,
health associations and insurance companies around the country. For more information visit the Family Violence Prevention Fund’s web site, or contact the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence toll-free at 1-888-Rx-Abuse.
·
YWCA Week Without Violence from October 20 through October 26. Organized by the YWCA of the USA, this weeklong public education
campaign encourages domestic violence awareness and violence prevention activities including tree plantings, candlelight vigils
and community forums. Wednesday, October 23, focuses on violence against women, and Thursday, October 24, addresses violence
among men. For more information visit the YWCA’s web site.
