Story By: WS Chronicle

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Forsyth County will be helping spread awareness of this serious issue throughout the month.

Forsyth County is currently transitioning the Safe on Seven Domestic Violence Center to the nationally recognized Family Justice Center model, which will be a one-stop location to serve those impacted by different types of interpersonal violence with services and support provided by many partner agencies.

As work is being done on the center, the county is participating in Domestic Violence Awareness Month in various ways. The commissioners approved a resolution recognizing the month. There will be a social media campaign on the county’s Facebook and Twitter. There will be purple ribbons tied around 725 N. Highland Ave., which is the home of Safe on Seven and the future Family Justice Center. The Winston-Salem Police Department’s Domestic Violence Awareness car will also be displayed outside the facility.

There were 1,057 complaints for Domestic Violence Protective Orders in Forsyth County in 2019 and 712 have been filed from January 1 through August 31 of this year. In the United States, domestic violence affects 10 million adults annually across all demographics. Abuse can be physical, financial, sexual, emotional, or psychological. Abusers follow a pattern of behaviors and tactics based on power and control.

“Domestic violence isolates victims from friends, co-workers and family, even more so during this time of COVID-19,” said Family Justice Center Director DeWanna Hamlin.

According to the U.S, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health, more than 15 million children in the United States live in homes where domestic violence has occurred at least once, leaving the children at greater risk of repeating the cycle by entering into an abusive relationship or becoming abusers themselves.

Those experiencing domestic violence can find help at Safe on Seven, 725 N. Highland Ave., which can be reached at 336-776-3255 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The 24-Hour Family Services Domestic Violence Crisis Line is 336-723-8125.

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