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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (as designated by Congress in 1989). It is promoted nationally by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and this year's theme is “with survivors” reminding us that we need to stand with survivors through action. The purple ribbon honors victims and those who have not survived and is displayed through October as a reminder: domestic violence and abuse tends to stay invisible unless someone - all of us - bring attention to this prevalent issue.
The purpose of DVAM is to stand with victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse, raise awareness through education and advocacy and encourage personal action. On a daily basis, we at FOCUS Ministries counsel victims and train advocates and supporters through our combined decades of experience (as trained Abuse Intervention Facilitators, Certified Domestic Violence Professionals and Licensed Chaplains). This month, we want not only to raise awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence, but also empower YOU to recognize abuse when you encounter it - either personally or in the life of someone you care about or minister to or work with.
The term “domestic violence” is actually misleading - a vast majority of people experiencing domestic abuse are never hurt physically. Many of the types of abuse are actually non-physical, which makes it much harder for anyone else to see. It is often hidden and very hard to recognize. Over the course of this month we will provide you with resources about four different types of abuse in the form of articles, blog posts, and videos. The four types are:
- Coercive Control
- Emotional Abuse
- Economic Abuse
- Using Intimidation (non-touch physical violence)
By the end of the month, you will learn how to recognize these subtle yet powerful abuses so you can more knowledgeably support victims or get help for yourself.
FOCUS Ministries offers FREE counseling services to EVERYONE. We keep your secrets secret. We do not share your information. We will not force you to make any decisions or choices about your future or safety that you are not comfortable with. We will only listen, support, advise and pray with you (if you desire it). We facilitate online and in-person support groups. We provide online or in-person trainings. We offer financial counseling to help you gain (or regain) independence. We will walk with you, however long the road ahead of you extends. Reach out today for support for yourself or someone you know.
www.focusministries1.org (quick-exit button available to avoid cyber-tracking)
contactus@focusministries1.org
630-617-0088
Side Note: To ensure you receive all of our training emails this month, check your spam filter to make sure that you have marked emails from paula@focusminstries1.org as "Primary" inbox emails and mark the email address as "not spam".
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