By Loryn Wilson Carter
Social Media & Online Engagement Manager, YWCA USA

2015 Week Without Violence is scheduled for October 19-23. For 20 years, YWCA has hosted an annual Week Without Violence campaign in October to mobilize people in communities across the United States to take action against all forms of violence, wherever it may occur. Ranging from rich and complex dialogues on violence, to workshops, community service opportunities, and public awareness events, YWCAs have been at the forefront of the conversation on the pervasive and intersectional nature of violence and its impact on the communities they serve.

This year, on the 20th anniversary of Week Without Violence, YWCA USA is excited to announce a new direction for Week Without Violence as our national domestic violence awareness month campaign. 1 in 4 women will experience some form of domestic violence at some point in their lives, and, on average, 3 women are murdered each day at the hands of their abusers. As the largest provider of domestic violence services in the country, serving over 2 million women and families each year, we know intimately the devastating impact it has on communities. This October, we invite you to join us as we explore what domestic violence looks like, learn about the systemic barriers that prevent women from being able to seek safety, and commit to #EndDVNow.

Join us as we raise awareness about the following issues each day of Week Without Violence:

Monday, October 19: Domestic Violence 101
Tuesday, October 20: Women of Color and Barriers to Safety
Wednesday, October 21: Financial Abuse and Economic Empowerment
Thursday, October 22: Domestic Violence Gun Homicides
Friday, October 23: Ending Domestic Violence Around the World

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 #EndDVNow?

Check out all of the posts from this year’s blog carnival:

Dara Richardson-Herson, MD, YWCA USA CEO- YWCA Week Without Violence: You Likely Know a Victim (Featured on Huffington Post)

Molly Toth, YWCA Warren Advocacy and Special Projects Coordinator – Ending Domestic Violence is a Relay, Not a Sprint

Nadiah Mohajir, HEART Women & Girls Co-Founder and Executive Director – Building Safer Communities: Our Collective Responsibility

Qudsia Raja, Advocacy and Policy Manager for Health and Safety – 
To End DV Now, We Must Eliminate Racism

Katerina Canyon, In My African-American Family, Beatings “Out of Love” Were Frequent (Featured on Huffington Post)

Kristelyn Berry, Senior Office and Safetey Net Coordinator, NNEDV – Women of Color and Barriers To Safety

Mariam Rauf, Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project – How Domestic Violence Impacts the A/PI Community

Aisha Rahman, KARAMAH Executive Director – Ending Domestic Violence in the Muslim Community

Vicki Shabo, National Partnership for Women and Families – Domestic Violence Survivors Need and Deserve Workplace Support (Featured on Huffington Post)

Qudsia Raja, Advocacy and Policy Manager for Health and Safety – Domestic Violence Survivors Need Economic Empowerment

Ilana Flemming, Jewish Women International Manager of Advocacy Initatives – We Must Strengthen Economic Security of Domestic Violence Victims

Ruth Glenn, NCADV Executive Director – Keeping Guns out of the Hands of Abusers

Qudsia Raja, YWCA USA – Ending Gun Violence Against Women 

Nicollette Van De Plas, YWCA National Capital Area – Guns Do Not Make Us  Safer (Featured on Huffington Post)

Leila Milani, Senior International Policy Advocate, Futures Without Vilence – Ending Domestic Violence is a Global Imperative

Magda López-Cárdenas, YWCA of Colombia – Addressing Armed Conflict in Colombia

Qudsia Raja, YWCA USA – Violence Against Women Has No National Borders (Featured on Huffington Post)

Patricia Shea, YWCA Nashville – YWCA Nashville Trains Men to End DV (Featured on Huffington Post)

Raven Davidson – Black Women Matter, A Poem (Featured On Huffington Post)

Nancy Lee, Director, Office of Women’s Health – Giving Power Back to Survivors (Featured on Huffington Post)

Vickey Dinges, SVP of Corporate Responsibility, Allstate – Let’s Change the Conversation from Blaming Victims to Empowering Survivors (Featured on Huffington Post)

Josh Sugarmann, Executive Director, Violence Police Center – 7 Things to know about Domestic Violence and Guns (Featured on Huffington Post)

Ally Crockford, Digital Media Officer, YWCA Scotland – The Violence We Talk About (Featured on Huffington Post)

Nadia Mohammad, Assistant Editor of altMuslimah – Islamophobia Worsens Violence Against Women (Featured on Huffington Post)

Tehreem Rahman – Why Domestic Violence Survivors Can’t Just Leave

Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, General Secretary of World YWA – Globally, YWCA Works to End DV Now (Featured on Huffington Post)

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

 

YWCA’s Week Without Violence is an annual campaign that takes place nationally and communities across the country to end violence in all of its forms and wherever it occurs. As the largest network of domestic service providers in the United States, YWCA is focusing our efforts on ending domestic violence – NOW. Everyday YWCA addresses the root causes and immediate needs associated with domestic violence. As we mark our 20^th annual Week Without Violence, we invite you to join us. To learn more visit www.ywca.org/wwv and join the conversation with #EndDVNow.