Raise the Awareness, end Domestic Violence.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) happens each October and allows communities nationwide to join forces to raise awareness about the far-reaching impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV). This year, ZeroV is partnering with the national #Every1KnowsSome1 campaign, which emphasizes that everyone knows someone affected by IPV, whether they realize it or not.

Kentucky has one of the highest rates of IPV in the United States, with 44.5 percent of women and 32.9 percent of men who have experienced sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner with an intimate partner violence-related impact in their lifetimes. Additionally, nearly half of LGBTQ+ people will experience IPV in their lifetime. Like all other forms of violence, IPV is sparked and perpetuated by systems of oppression. High rates of domestic violence are not private, individual problems; they require community solutions and systems change. By acknowledging this reality and standing together as a Kentucky united against violence, we can address the root causes of domestic violence and create safe communities where everyone can thrive.

As part of the #Every1KnowsSome1 campaign, we are united in our efforts to raise awareness about IPV and create a supportive community for survivors. Your involvement is crucial, and here's how you can be a part of it all:

• Social Media Campaign: Engage with us on social media using the hashtag #Every1KnowsSome1 as we share educational resources and messages of hope, spreading the word and creating a united front against IPV.
• DVAM Proclamation Signing: Join ZeroV on Tuesday, October 1st, at 1 PM for our DVAM Press Conference and proclamation signing. Open to the public, we invite you to join us at the KY State Capitol Rotunda to show your support for addressing the public health crisis of IPV in Kentucky and inspire hope for survivors across our Commonwealth.
• Purple Thursday: On Thursday, October 17, wear purple to show your support for IPV survivors and your commitment to ending abuse! Take a selfie in your purple and share it on social media with #PurpleThursday #DVAM #Every1KnowsSome.
• GiveForDV: Visit  www.zerov.org/zero_hero_supporter to make a gift on the official #GiveForDV Day of Giving on Thursday, October 26. Your donation will go directly to survivors through ZeroV's Flex Funds, which provide survivors and their children with the resources they need to rebuild their lives free from abuse. 
• Participate in Your Local DVAM Events: ZeroV’s 15 member programs serve all of Kentucky’s 120 counties. Visit our Shelter Programs page to find your local ZeroV program and visit our DVAM 2024 Events Calendar for more information on their DVAM activities.

Everyone can join the movement this DVAM! Your involvement will give hope to survivors and help move us toward a future free from violence. Together, we can make meaningful and lasting change.

“Domestic violence” and “intimate partner violence” can be used interchangeably to describe a pattern of abusive behavior and coercive control that can happen in a dating, marital, or live-in (or ex-) intimate partner relationship. “Intimate partner violence” often feels more inclusive because it more explicitly recognizes that people in any type of romantic relationship can experience abuse by a partner–regardless of age, gender identity, sexuality, or “formal” relationship status.