October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I have no personal experience with domestic violence, although one time I encountered an abuse victim and knew so little about domestic violence that I didn’t recognize the signs. Years later in retrospect I realized that the child’s actions indicated he was a victim of child abuse.
I had no intention of writing about domestic violence when I started my novel Dream or Destiny. Yet the male protagonist told me he and his sister were abused and led me to tell their story. Perhaps the greatest compliment I received on that book was when a reviewer asked if I or someone close to me had been a victim of domestic violence. She was surprised when I answered “no.” An advocate for abuse victims, she said she had never read such an accurate portrayal of an adult survivor of childhood abuse as David in my novel.
Through the years, I have posted about Domestic Violence Awareness Month a number of times. Previous posts include information and statistics about abuse and have linked to useful resources.
Here are a couple of additional resources specifically about child sex abuse:
Financial abuse can be serious abuse on its own, and it can be included with other types of abuse to make it harder for the victim to escape their abuse. The article “Financial Abuse” provides excellent information on financial abuse as well as great resources.
Sexual abuse and other forms of violence can occur when using a ride-share service. Sexual Assault Safety Guide for Ride-Sharing gives valuable safety tips that are well worth getting familiar with if you use Uber or Lyft.
For information about domestic violence and addiction, see Addiction and Domestic Violence.
Leaving an abusive relationship is one of the most dangerous times in a victim’s life. 11 Ways to Create a Safe Home as a Survivor of Domestic Violence gives advice on making a safe transition.
The video below shows the impact of violence on victims. I hope it inspires you to learn more about domestic violence and become passionate about bringing an end to it.