My heart goes out to the many women, men, and children who live in fear everyday for their lives. I am so fortunate that I have a very loving and supportive family where domestic violence has not personally touched us. I thank God for his awesome blessings every day.

It has been such an honor and a privilege to be a part of a very important initiative of the Texas Council on Family Violence that gives people hope. I volunteer on the Honoring Women in Our Lives luncheon committee.  I have really enjoyed meeting and working with TCFV staff.  They are so passionate about what they do, it transpires to the volunteers and everyone around them. Continue Reading »

Fortunately, I had never been exposed to domestic violence growing up. When I married my husband at the age of seventeen, I was not prepared for the violence in our relationship. It lasted several years and ended the day he took my one-year old daughter and wouldn’t tell me where she was. I knew if I continued to stay, my husband would kill me. I was however, prepared to live and stay alive for my daughter and my family. There were plenty of days that the challenges and struggles were overwhelming but I took the chance God gave me to move ahead and believed in myself. Continue Reading »

REESHA BROWN
The Port Arthur News

Waking up and staring at a battered face in the mirror, Gabrielle Gracelynn decided to quit being the victim of her former husband’s mistreatment.

“During the time we were married, my ex (former husband), would hit me over anything,” Gracelynn said. “Once, when I was moving furniture to clean up, he got angry and hit me, slapped me down and busted my mouth.”

 Panews.com

ARLINGTON, TX — Verizon Wireless has launched a HopeLine® drive across North Texas to collect no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories to benefit victims of domestic violence as part of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In support of the cause, the city of Arlington in conjunction with Verizon Wireless and SafeHaven of Tarrant County has proclaimed October, HopeLine Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Arlington residents are encouraged to drop off their phone donations at their local Verizon Wireless store throughout the month of October and the remainder of year. The Verizon Wireless HopeLine program accepts wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any carrier at its Communications Stores nationwide. For survivors of domestic violence, a wireless phone can be a vital link to emergency or support services in a time of crisis or a reliable, safe connection to employers, family and friends.

Webwire.com

October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) across the country. This month sheds light on the issue that thousands of women are victims of violence each year, usually by the hands of someone they love and trust.

In the next several weeks, volunteers from the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) will share their stories of how domestic violence has affected their lives. Their work with TCFV honors loved ones who have been impacted and motivates them to help so others may never have to live through the pain and suffering of violence.

Continue Reading »

By Melissa Pan
Daily Texan Staff

Diana Padilla’s best friend was trapped with a boyfriend who routinely hit her.

“She got out of the relationship before her boyfriend killed her,” Padilla, a psychology senior, said. Padilla watched as her friend went on to find a relationship that was stable.

Padilla was one of the workers at the kick-off for National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which took place Wednesday on the West Mall. The kick-off was organized by Voices Against Violence, a program organized by the UT Counseling and Mental Health Center.

Dailytexanonline.com

By Monica Green/features@trcle.com

The Johnson County Family Crisis Center is collecting change as part of a new program called the Change for Change campaign.

“One of our interns came up with the title Change for Change,” said Amy Karr, executive director. “We thought that would be perfect for what we’re trying to do here at the crisis center and in the community, which is to make positive changes in people’s lives. We’re thinking that is going to be the first one with more to come.”

Cleburnetimesreview.com

From the looks of promos for today’s “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Mike Tyson will admit that he abused his former wife Robin Givens during the marriage in the 1980s.

The actress says her painful experience allows her to relate to what Rihanna is going through right now after she was beaten by former boyfriend Chris Brown. Givens says there is often an unfair expectation for famous victims to immediately speak out about the ordeal.

Eurweb.com