"Domestic Violence Awareness Month" begins
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: October 1, 2012
It's a month of wearing purple, sharing stories, and most importantly, raising awareness.
"Domestic violence is everywhere. It doesn't pick a certain population, it doesn't pick a certain group." said Executive Director of YWCA Mohawk Valley, Natalie Brown.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the YWCA Mohawk Valley works to do their part in getting the word out about the importance and what people should look out for.
"There are signs that happen early on that people need to be made aware of. It is about control. That's the real key, that it's about control. It's not about love, it's about control and managing someone," said Brown.
The YWCA puts on events such as Take Back the Night, a purple ribbon campaign, and new this year, a town hall type meeting "Ending the Violence: A Domestic Dialogue" that will air on WUTR to get conversations on the issue going.
"Every time we go out and speak, somebody comes up and self-identifies that either they've been a victim, they have a family member that they are concerned about so we try to get out there as much as we can," said Brown.
Those with the YWCA say that raising awareness goes beyond the month of October.
Employees work with law enforcement, put up billboards, and also focus on educating students in the community.
"I think at this point in time, students are thinking it's normal to have arguments and violence in their friendships and in their homes. Letting them know that that's not normal and educating them on healthy relationships and what they should be aiming to achieve is very important," said Jodi Johnson, community educator at the YWCA.
"Domestic violence is everywhere. It doesn't pick a certain population, it doesn't pick a certain group." said Executive Director of YWCA Mohawk Valley, Natalie Brown.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the YWCA Mohawk Valley works to do their part in getting the word out about the importance and what people should look out for.
"There are signs that happen early on that people need to be made aware of. It is about control. That's the real key, that it's about control. It's not about love, it's about control and managing someone," said Brown.
The YWCA puts on events such as Take Back the Night, a purple ribbon campaign, and new this year, a town hall type meeting "Ending the Violence: A Domestic Dialogue" that will air on WUTR to get conversations on the issue going.
"Every time we go out and speak, somebody comes up and self-identifies that either they've been a victim, they have a family member that they are concerned about so we try to get out there as much as we can," said Brown.
Those with the YWCA say that raising awareness goes beyond the month of October.
Employees work with law enforcement, put up billboards, and also focus on educating students in the community.
"I think at this point in time, students are thinking it's normal to have arguments and violence in their friendships and in their homes. Letting them know that that's not normal and educating them on healthy relationships and what they should be aiming to achieve is very important," said Jodi Johnson, community educator at the YWCA.
