October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – Domestic violence thrives when we are silent, but if we take a stand and work together, we can end domestic violence. Please join the Montgomery County Women’s Center and begin the uncomfortable conversation about domestic violence. One is too many!

In 2014, 132 Texas women lost their lives to domestic violence (Texas Council on Family Violence, 2015). The Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) reports that most interpersonal violence homicides were completed with a firearm in the residence. In fact, Texas ranked in a tie for 12th place among all states in the number of females murdered by males.

On November 4, 2015, less than a week after Domestic Violence Awareness Month ended last year, the Houston Chronicle carried a front page story entitled “Domestic abuse spike strains victim safety net” documenting two Montgomery County and one North Harris County domestic violence femicides in the span of one week in August. On March 29, 2016, a man shot and killed his fiancé in a truck on his family’s property in Conroe. On July 2, 2016 a man contacted 911 in The Woodlands to give them an address and reported they would find two persons dead.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the Montgomery County Women’s Center is working diligently to raise awareness. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, abuse is a repetitive pattern of behaviors to maintain power and control over an intimate partner. These are behaviors that physically harm, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish or force them to behave in ways they do not want.

“Statistics show that one in four women and one in seven men aged 18 and older in the United States have been at some time in their life the victim of intimate partner violence,” said Sarah Raleigh, President and CEO of Montgomery County Women’s Center. “Intimate partner violence affects more than 12 million people each year. The devastating physical, emotional, and psychological consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime. Hotlines are a lifeline. Each month, our 24-hour hotline answers over 2,000 calls and the survivors who seek safe refuge at our shelter continue to increase.”

The Montgomery County Women’s Center is a United Way Agency and a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to lead the effort in preventing domestic violence and sexual assault through crisis intervention, assistance, advocacy, empowerment and social change. Domestic violence is nondiscriminatory, and survivors come from all cultures and beliefs. The Montgomery County Women’s Center provides a broad range of services, including a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, accompaniment, advocacy, legal services, transitional housing, and community outreach. They believe in the right of all persons to live without fear, abuse, oppression and violence. They also recognize the strength and courage it takes to begin the process of healing from all types of abuse, including physical, psychological, sexual, economic and spiritual. In order to heal, the agency provides survivors an opportunity to experience a safe, secure and supportive environment to regain their personal strength and restore their lives.

Ms. Raleigh shared the following list of warning signs prepared by the National Domestic Violence Hotline that are red flags for a potentially abusive relationship:

Warning Signs and Red Flags

? Telling you that you can never do anything right

? Showing jealousy of your friends and time spent away

? Keeping you or discouraging you from seeing friends or family members

? Embarrassing or shaming you with put-downs

? Controlling every penny spent in the household

? Taking your money or refusing to give you money for expenses

? Looking at you or acting in ways that scare you

? Controlling who you see, where you go, or what you do

? Preventing you from making your own decisions

? Telling you that you are a bad parent or threatening to harm or take away your children

? Preventing you from working or attending school

? Destroying your property or threatening to hurt or kill your pets

? Intimidating you with guns, knives or other weapons

? Pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you’re not comfortable with

? Pressuring you to use drugs or alcohol

The Montgomery County Women’s Center endorses the conclusion of the 83rd Texas State Legislature that “domestic violence is a preventable public health epidemic.” Domestic violence stories often appear in the media; however, the issue quickly disappears. Unfortunately, there are victims who endure abuse for whom the issue never vanishes – they live in fear of being abused daily. “We encourage our community to begin the uncomfortable conversation about domestic violence,” added Ms. Raleigh. “We also encourage the community to support our mission through donations and by volunteering.”

For more information about the Montgomery County Women’s Center, please call (936) 441-4044 or the 24-hour crisis hotline at (936) 441-7273, or visit www.mcwctx.org.