By JENNIFER PENCEK
Executive Director of Centre Safe
CENTRE COUNTY — With October serving as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Centre Safe and community partners are joining together to spread education and prevention efforts across the region and remind the community that #Every1KnowsSome1 impacted by domestic violence.
Domestic violence refers to abusive behaviors including degrading remarks/cruel jokes, threatening looks, constant monitoring, economic exploitation, sexual abuse and homicide. Unchecked, domestic violence almost always increases in frequency and severity.
Domestic violence comes in many forms including:
- Physical abuse
- Verbal abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Financial abuse
- Stalking
People often struggle with the fact that a victim may not leave their abuser or leave right away. We may like to think we know exactly what we would do if in an abusive situation, but you never know what you would do until it occurs. While it may seem like a simple decision to those outside the relationship, victims of abuse often face multiple barriers to leaving, including:
- Financial dependence
- Worry over the abuser getting in trouble
- Fear about other friends, colleagues and peers finding out
- Desire to keep family together
- Hope that the abuse will stop
- Pressure from family
- Denial
- Shame
- Lack of resources
Abusers often escalate their violence to coerce a victim into reconciliation or to retaliate for the victim’s rejection or abandonment of the abuser. Living with an abuser is highly dangerous because the violence usually escalates and becomes more frequent over time. However, if a victim is planning to leave, safety planning is extremely important. Advocates from Centre Safe can work directly with victims through our hotline and assorted services.
In 2023 alone, Centre Safe supported more than 900 clients navigating domestic violence. It is on all of us to decide how we plan to support survivors, honor those lost to domestic violence, and work together to eliminate this pervasive form of abuse.
This crime can seem so overwhelming and big, but if we choose each day to spread awareness, stand up for others and acknowledge the normalization of this behavior, we absolutely can and will make a difference.
Events during the month of October include:
EMPTY PLACE AT THE TABLE
Empty Place at the Table is a memorial for the lives lost to domestic violence in Centre County from 1998 to 2017 and as a reminder that domestic violence leaves an empty place at the table for family and friends of the loved one who was lost to domestic violence.
- Moshannon Valley YMCA — Wednesday, Oct. 2, through Wednesday, Oct. 9
- Penns Valley YMCA — Wednesday, Oct. 9, through Wednesday, Oct. 16
- Bellefonte YMCA — Wednesday, Oct. 16, through Wednesday, Oct. 23
- State College YMCA — Wednesday, Oct. 23, through Wednesday, Oct. 30
SMARTER PARENTS, SAFER KIDS WORKSHOPS
Centre Safe and Youth Service Bureau are offering virtual Smarter Parents, Safer Kids workshops this fall. In these two-hour workshops, you will learn about healthy child sexual development and how to address inappropriate behaviors, how to build better communication with your youth, and new skills and tools to prevent child abuse.
- Thursday, Oct. 3, 3 to 5 p.m. via Zoom
- Wednesday, Oct. 23, noon to 2 p.m. via Zoom
Register at ccysb.com/project-safe-and-smart.
DVAM KARAOKE — TUESDAY, OCT. 8, FROM 4:30 TO 6:30 P.M.
Lions Lair Lounge, Penn State HUB-Robeson Center, Centre Safe and the Gender Equity Center will host a karaoke night to raise awareness of domestic violence. This event will feature songs that infer unhealthy/toxic relationships, sexual violence and stalking behaviors, as well as songs that empower and support victims and survivors of violence.
PURPLE LIGHT CAMPAIGN — ALL OF OCTOBER
Purple is the symbolic color for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Raise awareness and support victims and survivors of domestic violence by displaying purple lights outside your home, business or organization during the month of October.
PURPLE THURSDAY – THURSDAY, OCT. 17, ALL DAY
Wear purple to show support for those who have experienced domestic violence. Purple Thursday aims to raise awareness about intimate partner violence and domestic violence by highlighting support for survivors and the efforts we have taken to reduce the stigma, advocate for survivors and work for greater safety and equity for victims and survivors.
LIGHT THE COURTHOUSE PURPLE
The Centre County Courthouse will be lit purple in honor of the month.
Learn more about Centre Safe at centresafe.org. You may speak with a confidential advocate 24/7 at 877-234-5050.
