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CCCNH and DVAM: The Acronyms of October

Mornings are getting cooler, and the air is getting crisper. The Crisis Center of Central New Hampshire is abuzz with activity as advocates and administration bustle about their days for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Since 1978, the Crisis Center of Central New Hampshire has been a hub of support for survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence, and each October starting in 1987, the spotlight lands on resource centers like us across the nation as DVAM takes off.  Raising awareness about the prevalence and effects of domestic violence at the individual and community levels is the intention behind October’s national month of awareness. CCCNH will be hosting a myriad of events throughout the month to support and uplift the voices of survivors in Merrimack County.

The Crisis Center of Central New Hampshire’s kicked off event for Domestic Violence Awareness Month with our 8th Annual Walk A Mile In Their Shoes (WAM) event. WAM fundraises to support the critical work CCCNH does within the county and with survivors of violence. We work to build strong partnerships within our community. Our community partners and local businesses create teams to walk a mile- in stilettos if they’re brave- to raise funds as well as recall the weight survivors carry. So far, CCCNH has raised over $91,000.

Throughout the month of October, you may see members of CCCNH out and about at events within the community. On October 15th you may see us at the Walmart on Loudon Rd in Concord as we collect donations for our emergency shelter in Merrimack County by “Stuffing the Big Rig” full of supplies. The supplies collected will be distributed to survivors who are taken into the shelter.

We will also be participating in the STOP Human Trafficking walk held in downtown Concord on Main Street this same day.

On Thursday, October 20th, during DVAM week of action, CCCNH is hosting a Candlelight Vigil outside of the Capitol building to highlight the voices of survivors in our community and remember those we have lost to domestic violence.

The Crisis Center of Central New Hampshire recognizes that domestic violence is a community issue rather than an individual one, and last year alone we served more than one thousand and seven hundred survivors in Merrimack County. The national statistics about domestic violence are staggering with nearly thirty-three percent of women and twenty-five percent of men reporting instances of domestic violence each year, and the rates in New Hampshire are higher than the national average at around thirty-five percent for both men and women although women experience a more lethal level of domestic violence in our state.

Most people know someone who is or has been in or directly exposed to an abusive relationship. The purpose of Domestic Violence Awareness Month is to raise awareness and bring increased attention to the community impacts of domestic violence. CCCNH through DVAM seeks to illustrate the role each member of the community has to play in disrupting the cycle of violence that far too many people in Merrimack County face.  Together, we can be a voice for survivors in the world and through our words and actions can prevent domestic violence from happening. DVAM has been a light for so many years, and CCCNH is committed to shining brightly for decades to come.

Community members can always connect with advocates at CCCNH whether they are currently experiencing abuse or have experienced it in the past. We are available twenty-four hours, seven days a week through our hotline, and can be reached during business hours through text and web chat.

Reference:

NCADV: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The Nation’s Leading Grassroots Voice on Domestic Violence. Available at: https://www.ncadv.org/statistics [Accessed September 15, 2022].