Domestic Violence Awareness Month

This month brings together service professionals, advocates, survivors, families and the community to remember the lives lost, to celebrate the accomplishments made by the field, to educate, raise awareness about the issue, and to acknowledge the resiliency and courage of survivors.

How do we define domestic violence?

Domestic violence (DV) is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another. It can involve physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological actions, including threats or other patterns of coercive behavior, such as intimidation, humiliation, isolation, or manipulation.

DV can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, sex, or gender identity. It also affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.

In Kentucky, KRS 403.720(2) defines “domestic violence and abuse” as physical injury, stalking, sexual abuse, strangulation, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical injury, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, strangulation, or assault between family members or members of an unmarried couple or any conduct or the infliction of fear of such imminent conduct, taken against a domestic animal when used as a method of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge directed against a family member of member of an unmarried couple who has a close bond of affection to the domestic animal.”

How you can help:

• Continue to learn and raise awareness about domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence and stalking.
• Equip yourself and others with skills to identify and prevent violence.
• Share resources with colleagues, family members and beneficiaries/recipients of your services.
• Create protective spaces where survivors are BELIEVED and SUPPORTED. Never victim blame – it is never the victim’s fault.
• Promote healthy relationships and respect in your community.
• Leverage your professional networks to?increase access to resources that meet the diverse needs of survivors.

What we are doing:

Family and Juvenile Services conducted a statewide VAWA needs assessment in 2020 to determine gaps and opportunities in the court’s response to issues of domestic/dating violence, sexual violence and stalking. The findings report was published and distributed to justices, judges and circuit court clerks across the Commonwealth.

This year, as part of our VAWA grant deliverable, we are hosting a one-day symposium in Frankfort on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 for judges and clerks, covering VAWA topics most identified in the needs assessment. Please encourage your local judges and circuit court clerks to register for the event and attend.

Please contact VAWA Program Coordinator, Vanessa Chauhan at [email protected] for more information.