Welcome back to another issue of The Odyssey! As you all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as there is pink everywhere, and we are already beginning to think about BMOC. However, October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

Obviously, these are both very important issues, but it is interesting to see how much breast cancer has overshadowed domestic violence. While one is no more important than the other, we focus almost entirely on breast cancer awareness. 

I thought I would provide you with a little more information about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), domestic violence awareness month, “evolved from the first Day of Unity observed in October, 1981. The intent was to connect battered women’s advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became a special week when a range of activities were conducted at the local, state, and national levels.” The first Domestic Violence Awareness Month Commemorative Legislation was passed by Congress in 1989. In 1994, the NCADV collaborated with Ms. Magazine and created, Remember My Name, which serves as a national registry to increase public awareness of domestic violence deaths. The day of unity is celebrated the first Monday in October.

If you think domestic violence is not as relevant, or does not affect as many people as breast cancer, here are some statistics from NCADV to put it into perspective. 

Nearly 20 people per minute are victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in the U.S. Over the course of a year, this equates to over 10 million women and men.

One in three women, and one in four men have experienced domestic violence within their lifetime.

On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 calls placed to domestic hotlines, nationwide.

Intimate partner violence accounts for 15 percent of all violent crime. 

So, while you are raising awareness for breast cancer, take a moment to raise some for domestic violence, as well. If you are interested in taking action on this issue, you can find all the information you need on www.ncadv.org. 

Have a great week, Purdue!