Domestic Violence Awareness

Domestic violence has been a major issue and has one of the largest crime rates overall in our society that many people have dealt with on a daily basis. October is as National Domestic Violence Month; it is a month where we acknowledge the survivors of domestic violence and spread awareness for prevention in our communities. Domestic Violence affects people regardless of age, socio-economic status, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and race. Being a victim of domestic violence can have devastating consequences like physical injury, trauma, and possibly death. Spreading crucial information on raising prevention awareness within this topic can not only prevent victims of abuse but also save a life.

According to the Department of Public Safety, around 17,422 family violence incidents occurred within Region 11, which includes 19 counties in south Texas. With the pandemic and quarantine being no stranger to us, it put many people at higher risks of domestic violence. Through thehotline.org, domestic violence survivors can reach out for help, create a safety plan, learn how to give support, and find many other helpful and related resources that can improve their situation. The National Domestic Violence Hotline also has a phone number to call in case of victim need additional information and support: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 72 percent of all murder-suicides involve an intimate partner; 94 percent of the victims of these murder-suicides are females. Not only is domestic violence a concern, but data shows it increased when the pandemic came into effect. This month of October, it is our primary focus to provide prevention awareness for all communities and advocate organizations across the nation and connect the public with useful information about signs of abuse and ways to put start useful conversations about domestic violence.

The Prevention Resource Center (PRC), a program of Behavioral Health Solutions of South Texas, serves as the central data collection repository for Region 11 and the developer of a yearly Regional Needs Assessment (RNA), which is available to community members at no cost and can be downloaded on our website: www.prc11.org/data. If you are interested in becoming a part of this project and would like to play a role in the next Regional Needs Assessment process or would like data presentations and more, please contact Eduardo Salinas, PRC Public Relations Coordinator, at (956) 787-7111 ext. 243 or Karen Rodriguez, PRC Data Coordinator, at (956) 787-7111 ext. 245.