Kansas Recognizes October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month

For Immediate Release: Monday, October 3, 2016

Topeka, KS, 10/03/2016 – The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV) welcomes October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Governor Sam Brownback signed a proclamation today that recognizes October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Kansas. Representatives from the KCSDV and YWCA Women’s Crisis Center in Wichita, Kansas Governor’s Grants Program, Kansas Department of Corrections, Kansas Attorney General’s Office, Kansas Department for Children and Families, and Family Peace Initiative were all in attendance for the signing.

Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women aged 15 to 44, and one in four women in the U.S. will be the victim of domestic violence at some point in her lifetime. According to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation report, in 2015, domestic violence homicides comprised over 22% of all homicides in Kansas, and one domestic violence arrest was made by law enforcement every 45 minutes, 30 seconds. On a single day in 2015, 673 victims of domestic violence in Kansas sought help from their local domestic violence victim advocacy program.

“The month of October is a time for us to raise awareness about domestic violence,” says Joyce Grover, executive director of KCSDV. “These numbers are startling and we encourage people to take action and support life-saving services for victims in their communities.” In Kansas, there are 29 community-based victim advocacy programs located throughout the state that provide safety services and support to victims of sexual and domestic violence in all 105 counties. According to Grover, Kansas victim advocacy programs regularly serve more than 20,000 victims of sexual and domestic violence annually while also responding to over 25,000 crisis hotline calls, and the demand for these critical services continues to rise.

“Bringing an end to domestic violence begins in our families and in our communities. I hope Kansans use Domestic Violence Awareness Month to learn about resources, recognize the signs of abuse, and come together to discuss ways to bring this violence to an end,” says Grover. “We thank Governor Sam Brownback for signing a proclamation that recognizes Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Kansas – ending domestic violence takes us all.”

Kansas domestic violence victim advocacy programs are also using October as a time to raise awareness in their local communities. Learn more about what you can do at kcsdv.org or check with your local victim advocacy program.