The Her Campus National Editors write about products we love and think you’ll love too. Her Campus has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. All products are in stock and all prices are accurate as of publication.
Content warning: This article contains mention of domestic violence and sexual assault.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In a time when the president claims that domestic violence is just “a little fight with the wife” rather than an actual documented crime, it can feel difficult to appropriately raise awareness this month. Regardless, it’s important to remember how far we’ve come in fighting for resources for survivors of domestic violence. This includes shelters and changing attitudes, particularly viewing domestic violence as a crime instead of a private matter.
After all, domestic violence was made a federal crime only in 1994 after Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act, and marital rape wasn’t considered a crime in all 50 states until 1993. As we learn from the past, present, and future of the awareness movement, here are six organizations in Central Florida that are working to end domestic violence.
- harbor house of central florida
-
Founded by Barbara Moore in the 1970s, Harbor House, originally known as Spouse Abuse Inc., aims to stop the cycle of domestic abuse through education, mentorship programs, community outreach, and other additional resources. You can contact their crisis hotline at (407) 886-2856, donate to Harbor House, and volunteer in a variety of ways. Alongside offering a 24/7 confidential hotline, emergency shelter, pet shelter, transitional housing program, counseling, and more, Harbor House also hosts events such as their Purple Door Luncheon to raise awareness for domestic violence and celebrate survivors.
- stand up survivor
-
Founded in 2015 by researcher Lisa Nicole, Stand Up Survivor is a nonprofit organization based in Orlando. It offers domestic violence prevention training to schools, corporations, and religious organizations, as well as counseling, immediate needs resources, and other life-saving services to survivors. Some of their corporate partners include The Blanket Project Inc., which provides survivors of domestic violence with self-made blankets, and Project Think Forward, a nonprofit organization that connects individuals to counseling services.
Their Youth Prevention Program specifically focuses on educating young people on navigating healthy and unhealthy relationships, as “young women between the ages of 16-24 are at the greatest risk of experiencing domestic violence.” If you’d like to get involved and help Stand Up Survivor, you can intern or volunteer with them.
- Peace River Center
-
Founded in 1948, Peace River Center (PRC) offers many resources to residents of Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties. Some of those resources include outpatient services, substance use treatment, children’s services, victim services, and crisis services. While their mission is more broadly focused on improving emotional wellness and behavioral health in the community, they are also a Dual-Certified Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence Center. PRC also has free confidential lines available 24/7, along with community education, survivor support groups, and safety planning for domestic violence victims. PRC offers volunteer opportunities to help survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
- Help now of Osceola
-
Based in Kissimmee, Help Now offers a 24/7 crisis hotline and text line. Along with resources such as community training, youth-targeted education, emergency shelter, and safety planning, Help Now of Osceola also holds virtual and in-person educational events. Some upcoming ones include their virtual “The Effects of DV on Children Beyond Behaviors” on Oct. 20 and their 16th Annual Domestic Violence Rally, Awareness Walk, and Candlelight Vigil on Oct. 30. You can view the complete list of their upcoming events online and volunteer to help their mission, whether that’s sorting donations, aiding children with homework, or helping with maintenance projects.
- safehouse of seminole
-
Based in Lake Monroe and founded in 1995, Safehouse of Seminole is an organization in Central Florida that has been working for decades to help survivors of domestic violence start anew. Safehouse Survivor Services continues to lead Seminole County in equipping survivors with strength and resources, including legal services, children’s services, prevention tools, and more. They also offer a 24/7 free and confidential crisis hotline, shelter, support groups, and volunteer opportunities.
- UCF’s violence against women cluster
-
Founded in 2017 alongside five other research-focused clusters, UCF’s Violence Against Women Cluster is run by 11 faculty members who conduct research that can be applied to reduce rates of physical, sexual, and emotional violence and better support survivors. While they do not offer resources to survivors of domestic violence, the cluster’s researchers take an interdisciplinary approach. Members across the disciplines of social work, psychology, forensic science, criminal justice, sociology, and public health work together on research to “guide policymaking designed to reduce the experience and impact of violence toward women.”
Some of VAW’s current research projects include Safe Transitions: Longitudinal Examination of Domestic Violence Transitional Housing Models on Survivor Outcomes and Enhancing the Public Health Response to Domestic Violence. Recent publications include “Are We Making an Impact: Perspectives on Providing Interpersonal Violence Prevention Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the U.S” and “Utilization of Services at Community-based Intimate Partner Violence Agencies: Associations with Sociodemographic and Victimization Factors.”
In short, since its creation, the cluster has researched relentlessly to reduce rates of violence against women. If you’re interested in making an impact in similar research, you can get involved in Dr. Woerner’s Social Theory, Relationships, & Interpersonal Violence Exposure Laboratory.
In addition to these services, UCF’s Victim Services is another great resource with a free and confidential 24/7 hotline, crisis intervention, educational programming, and opportunities for students to volunteer or intern.
As easy as it would be to simply post about domestic violence online or write “things will get better” on a Post-it note stuck to the bathroom mirror, raising awareness for this issue requires much more. Awareness is driven by a listening ear, community service, research, and above all, people who are willing to extend their heart to those in need. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and every month afterward, I encourage you to spread the word against domestic violence by getting involved and making an active effort in your community.