In recognition of Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month during October, the City of West Hollywood will, throughout the month, focus awareness efforts on highlighting the impact of domestic violence/intimate partner violence in the LGBTQ community.
From Friday, October 7, 2022 through Tuesday, October 18, 2022, the globe lanterns above Santa Monica Boulevard and West Hollywood City Hall located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard will glow in purple in recognition of Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, in the United States, more than 10 million adults experience domestic violence annually. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. On a typical day, domestic violence hotlines receive more than 20,000 calls, an average of close to 15 calls every minute.
Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects all people regardless of age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. Domestic violence, also referred to as intimate partner violence, which is abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship. It occurs in same- and opposite-sex relationships, and among those who are married, in long-term, and short-term relationships.
Domestic violence can take many forms; in addition to physical abuse, it can include sexual abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, intimidation, controlling behaviors, isolating behaviors, and economic abuse. The devastating consequences of domestic violence and intimate partner violence can cross generations and last a lifetime, from adolescence to young adulthood to older age. About 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men have experienced sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. Disability affects more than 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 men in the United States and has been associated with a greater risk of experiencing violence compared to people without a disability.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, domestic violence can occur in LGBTQ relationships at rates equal to or even greater to that of cisgender/heterosexual relationships. Statistics indicate that:
· 44 percent of lesbians, 61 percent of bisexual women and 35 percent of heterosexual women experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetimes;
· 26 percent of gay men, 37 percent of bisexual men and 29 percent of heterosexual men experience rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetimes; and
· The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found that more than half (54 percent) of transgender and non-binary respondents experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.
The following resources are provided on the City of West Hollywood’s website at www.weho.org/dvipv. If you or someone you care about has been a victim of domestic violence/intimate partner violence, sexual assault or stalking, there are resources to help:
- The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website at https://ncadv.org offers comprehensive and inclusive information for all about warning signs of domestic violence and abuse.
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline website at www.thehotline.org offers immediate help to everyone 24/7/365 via the “chat now” button on the website or by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting LOVEIS to 22522, and for people who are Deaf/hard of hearing: 1-855-812-1011 (VP) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
- Immediate help if you are experiencing domestic violence and in need of shelter is also available via the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence 24- hour Support Services by contacting 1-800-978-3600.
- The Los Angeles LGBT Center offers domestic violence/partner abuse counseling services geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities by contacting (323) 993-7649.
- The Jewish Family Service’s Family Violence Program provides confidential 24-hour crisis lines for victims of abuse by contacting (310) 858-9344 (English/Spanish); (818) 464-2864 (Farsi) and (310) 858-9344 (Jewish Orthodox).
- Peace Over Violence provides one-on-one intervention by contacting the 24-hour hotline (310) 392-8381 and provides accessible services for victims of sexual and domestic violence who are deaf, hard of hearing, have a disability and/or elder individuals at (213) 785-2684.
- Love Is Respect National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline provides 24/7 intimate partner violence help and support to young people between the ages of 13 and 26 by contacting 1-866-331-9474; TTY 1-866-331-8453 or text LOVEIS to 22522.
- The National Deaf Domestic Violence Hotline (NDDVH) is available to Deaf callers across the nation 24/7 by phone or videophone by contacting 1-855-812-1001 or email at nationaldeafhotline@adwas.org. Callers using a voice phone will be connected to an interpreter for duration of the phone call.
- The SPCA-LA Animal Safety Net provides temporary homes for pets of domestic violence survivors by contacting 1-888-527-7722.
