October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The Council is recognizing October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and supporting efforts to raise awareness, promote prevention, and provide support to survivors of domestic violence. The Council adopted a resolution supporting federal, state, and local initiatives that provide resources, funding, and assistance for programs addressing domestic violence.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about domestic violence, support survivors, promote prevention efforts, encourage early intervention, and offer support to those affected. The resolution notes that domestic violence can affect nearly anyone, with one in four women and one in seven men experiencing domestic violence during their lifetime.

The resolution also highlights disparities in the rates of domestic violence experienced by different groups. Black women experience domestic violence at 2.5 times the rate of white women, while Indigenous women experience the highest rates of domestic violence, at five times the rate of white women.

The resolution also emphasizes the connection between gun violence and domestic violence. The presence of a gun during a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide, and more than half of domestic violence homicides involve guns. The resolution further notes that more than half of mass shootings are domestic-related, and in two-thirds of mass shootings, the shooter either killed an intimate partner or family member or had a prior history of domestic violence.

Domestic violence can have severe and long-lasting physical, emotional, and psychological consequences for victims and their communities. The resolution notes that education, advocacy, and community engagement can help increase awareness, change attitudes toward domestic violence, and create safer and more supportive environments for survivors.

The Council encourages residents to educate themselves about the signs of domestic violence, offer assistance to those in need, and help foster a community where domestic violence is not tolerated. The Council declared October 2026 Domestic Violence Awareness Month and expressed support for initiatives that provide additional resources and aid to address domestic violence.