The figures are startling, chilling, heartbreaking, frightening.

Figures from the National Domestic Hotline stun.

“On average, more than one in three women and one in four men in the United States will experience rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner.”

In the academic publication “Themis,” a research journal with a focus on justice studies and forensic science, San Jose State University researcher Kavita Alejo opened an article on the long-term physical and mental impact of domestic violence as follows:

“Domestic violence is an issue affecting people of all ages, races, genders and sexual orientations.”

An assignment at a local high school opened my own eyes to the disturbing frequency of relationship violence in school.

The early months of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown revealed many who were at home were not necessarily safe at home.

And football fans may remember a Super Bowl public service announcement ad showcasing how a call to an emergency dispatcher for what, on first listen, seemed a request for a pizza delivery brought help to a caller in a domestic violence situation.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month went national in 1987, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website.

The focus of the effort in the early days was “to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues while raising awareness for those issues.”

Through its website, the group currently offers its #WeAreResilient tool kit to equip those enduring domestic violence and their families, friends and others who offer support to them.

The site also offers a range of resources for those needing help, those who want to help and those who want to know how to help.

“Anyone can be an abuser. They come from all groups, all cultures, all religions, all economic levels and all backgrounds. They can be your neighbor, your pastor, your friend, your child’s teacher, a relative, a co-worker - anyone,” the group highlights on the NCADV official site.

National Domestic Violence Awareness Month makes this statement hauntingly clear.

For anonymous, confidential help available all day every day, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) now.

April Peterson

editorial assistant

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press