Women’s Center welcomes October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The Women’s Center of Montgomery County welcomed October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. One in four women will be the victim of domestic violence at some point in her lifetime, and, on average, three women are killed every day at the hands of a current or former intimate partner.

“The Women’s Center of Montgomery County is a volunteer, communitybased organization. Our primary focus is freedom from domestic violence and other forms of abuse. Our programs, policies and procedures reflect our strong commitment to empowering women,” says Maria Macaluso, Executive Director, the Women’s Center of Montgomery County.

Despite tremendous challenges, domestic violence shelters served nearly 70,000 victims in one day alone, according to the latest National Network to End Domestic Violence Domestic Violence counts. More than three out of four domestic violence survivors who sought support groups, counseling, supportive services and legal advocacy found these services to be “very helpful,” the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the University of Connecticut School of Social Work reported.

“We’ve helped more than 5,200 folks alone in 2018. We would like to reduce that number to zero in the years ahead,” states Macaluso.

Throughout October, communities across the country will mourn for those whose lives were taken by domestic violence, celebrate the tremendous progress victim advocates have made over the years, and connect with one another with a true sense of unity to end domestic violence.

If you know of someone in an abusive relationship, contact The Women’s Center of Montgomery County’s 24-hour toll-free hotline at 1-800-7732424.