This and every October, Philadelphia recognizes Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence can affect anyone — regardless of your class, race, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Domestic Violence is more than just physical abuse — it is a pattern of behaviors that a partner uses against the other person with the purpose of gaining and maintaining power and control in the relationship. These behaviors can include: isolation, financial deprivation, stalking, emotional abuse, and threats to harm partner, children or pets.
Are you thinking about making a change within your relationship?
Does your partner make you feel unsafe?
Is your partner restricting your access to family, friends and financial resources?
According to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, these are all common indicators of abuse. If you have answered “yes” to at least one of the questions listed above, there are resources readily available to you in Philadelphia.
Always call 911 in an emergency. If you believe someone needs help, let them know they can call the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline at any time at: 1-866-723-3014
3 things you can do:
If you see or suspect abuse of a love one:
- Encourage them to seek the help of an advocate at their local domestic violence center.
- Reassure them that the abuse is not their fault.
- Allow your loved one the right to make decisions for their safety. Leaving is a dangerous time for survivors; your loved one is the only one that will know when the time is right.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2019 Events
I-Pledge
Wednesday, October 2nd |12:00 p.m.
Philadelphia City Hall Courtyard
This event is hosted by Women Against Abuse. They will be illuminating the importance of creating safe housing for survivors of all gender identities and sexual orientations. Here they will be honoring Kelvin Jeremiah the CEO and President of Philadelphia Housing Authority for his leadership and hard work towards the fight for safer housing.
Men Can
Wednesday, October 16 | 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Thomas Paine Plaza, 1401 John F Kennedy Blvd
This event will be hosted by Lutheran Settlement House. The Men Can Rally will be a celebration of all the efforts put forth to prevent Domestic Violence within Philadelphia. Lutheran Settlement Housing will be honoring all of the community members that have been working hard to create a safer Philadelphia for survivors.
Amplifying Our Voices
Wednesday, October 16 | 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Germantown Friends School Free Library, 5418 Germantown Avenue
This evening of poetry sharing and community building features survivors and poets sharing their works and stories. It’s an evening devoted to bringing domestic violence out of the dark. This event is hosted by Women in Transition.
Survivor Soliloquies Historias de Sobrevivientes
Friday, October 25 | 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Pan American Charter School Gym, 2800 North American Street
This event hosted by Congreso de Latinos Unidos features a series of monologues performed in both Spanish and English that represent individuals’ lived experiences of violence, survival, and empowerment.
