RICHMOND, VA –
Domestic Violence Awareness Month was first introduced in 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to bring awareness to victims of domestic violence.
According to NCADV, the statistics are alarming:
- On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. This equates to more than 10 million women and men every year.
- 20% of women in the United States have been raped.
- 1-in-4 women and 1-in-9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services, contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, etc.
In recognition of this month of awareness, Melissa Futreal, family programs manager, Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management Richmond, hosted an hour long virtual and in-person book club meeting in the Frank B. Lotts Conference Center on Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia Oct. 6.
“My hope in having this event is to remind those not just working for DLA Aviation, but all those working on DSCR as a whole, that there is a community to reach out to when they are experiencing something such as domestic abuse, or any other troublesome situation,” Futreal said.
Futreal said she chose to discuss the book Crazy Love, a memoir written by a domestic violence victim later turned survivor, Leslie Morgan Steiner, with those who attended this inaugural event.
Mae Lew was one of them. The quality assurance specialist works within DLA Aviation’s Supplier Operations Commodities Directorate’s Bearings Division.
She said this was her first time attending a book club meeting in a workplace setting and that addressing domestic violence is important, not only during the month of October, but all year around.
“Luckily, I have not been a victim of domestic violence, but I know of someone who has been. Domestic violence not only affects the actual victims, but it negatively affects those who care about them,” Lew said.
If you are interested in taking part in future book club meetings about other topics, contact Melissa Futreal: (804) 279-4337 or by email: Melissa.Futreal@dla.mil
If you are a victim of sexual harassment or sexual assault, contact the DLA SAPR 24/7 Hotline: (800) 841-0937 or Katrina Leverette, DLA Aviation Sexual Assault Response Coordinator: Comm: (804) 279-1163, DSN: 695-1163, Cell: (804) 212-6611 or by email: Katrina.Leverette@dla.mil
Other resources:
http://www.dla.mil/Info/SAPR.aspx
DoD SAFE HELPLINE: (877) 995-5247
Also, if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence or is suspected of being a victim, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799−7233 or TTY (800) 787−3224.