The City of West Hollywood has announced that it would recognize October as Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month.
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 and through the lens of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (SOGIE) and will share information and resources with the community about intimate partner violence.
From Sunday, October 3, 2021 through Sunday, October 10, 2021, the globe lanterns above Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Robertson Boulevard and Hancock Avenue in the City of West Hollywood 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 can cross generations and last a lifetime. 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.
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 listed on the City’s website at www.weho.org/lgbtq.
