By Katie Stanton 
Social Media & Online Engagement Manager, YWCA USA

The YWCA Week Without Violence™, held annually every third week in October, is a signature initiative created by YWCA USA nearly 20 years ago to mobilize people in communities across the United States to take action against all forms of violence, wherever it occurs. Each year, YWCAs all around the country host local Week Without Violence™ events and create a public dialogue about violence, in all of its forms.

For our blog carnival this year, we asked: How we can come together to #workagainstviolence?

According to the American Medical Association, more than 20 percent of women in the United States have experienced intimate-partner violence, stalking or both. A full 17 percent have reported rape or attempted rape. On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States (CDC).

Violence against women, in its many forms, has no demographic boundaries. It is known to all age groups, all races, all religions and all socioeconomic backgrounds. It can take many forms, including economic abuse, intimate partner violence, stalking, racial profiling, and domestic violence. What can be done to #workagainstviolence?

Check out all of the posts:

Caitlin Eckert, YWCA Bergen, Understanding Protective Factors as a Buffer Against Violence within the Adolescent Community

Chelsea Parsons, Center for American Progress, The Intersection of Guns and Domestic Violence

Doug Bair, Generation Progress, It’s On Us to Change How We Talk About Sexual Assault

Jelena Kolic, Legal Momentum, The Power of the Purse: Why Ending Economic Abuse is Vital to Eliminating Domestic Violence

Shelley Halstead, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Economic Justice Can Help Undo Economic Violence

Vicki Shabo, National Partnership for Women & Families, Domestic Violence and the Need for Paid “Safe” Days

Sameera Hafiz, We Belong Together, Why We Must Protect Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence 

We’re also posting daily informational blogs about different aspects of violence, authored by YWCA USA Advocacy and Mission Impact staff. Check back throughout the week for more of these posts!

• Monday, 10/13: Sexual Assault
• Tuesday, 10/14: Racial Profiling and Hate Crimes
• Wednesday, 10/15: Domestic Violence
• Thursday, 10/16: Economic Violence
• Friday, 10/17: Immigration-Related Violence

Thank you to all of our carnival participants. Check out our hashtag #workagainstviolence to see all of the posts and activities that are taking place across the country today, and we welcome you to join the conversation!

To find out how your local YWCA is celebrating Week Without Violence™, find the location nearest you.

This post is part of the YWCA Week Without Violence™ 2014 Blog Carnival. We invite you to join the dialogue! Post your comment below, share your story and follow the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #workagainstviolence.