Being Safe at Home

PRESS DEMOCRAT CLOSE TO HOME
By Madeleine Keegan O’Connell, CEO, YWCA Sonoma County

October 2023

“Are you safe at home?”

This is a question I was asked during a recent visit to my doctor’s office. I hope you have been asked, too (and, of course, I hope the answer was yes). You may be surprised by such a query, but it’s an important first step. Finding ways to identify victims of Domestic Violence (DV) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a priority for health professionals here in Sonoma County and across the country.

Let’s face it, no one wants to think about the possibility that someone they know is unsafe in their own home. But data from The Centers for Disease Control shows one in four women and nearly one in ten men have experienced sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetimes. Because October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, this is an especially appropriate time to examine what that means for our local community.

While DV and IPV may appear to be the same thing, they are different terms with different meanings. Domestic Violence can be between any two people in a household whereas Intimate Partner Violence occurs between people who may or may not live together. More than 43 million women and roughly 38 million men experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner during their lifetimes. When IPV occurs in adolescence, it is called Teen Dating Violence. More than 11 million women and 5 million men who reported experiencing a form of DV and/or IPV say their first occurrence took place before the age of 18.

Established in 1975, YWCA’s 24/7 Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline is the only one in Sonoma County and still the most direct path to support for local residents. Safety planning and strategies to ensure relief are at the forefront of every call we receive (the number to call is 546-1234). We also provide a confidential Safe House shelter, the only one in Sonoma County for adults and children seeking refuge from harm.

At YWCA Sonoma County, we know that our mission is personal to our community. What we’ve learned is that domestic violence has impacted so many close friends or family members, which inspires you to support us. We’ve created the “Y I Run” Fun Run & Walk with that in mind. On Saturday, October 28th at Spring Lake in Santa Rosa, YWCA and our supporters will pay tribute to victims by answering the question of “Y I Run” on our individual runners’ bibs. Participants will be encouraged to write “for my sister”, or my brother, my mom, my dad, my friend, my roommate, my co-worker, etc.  Register to join us and learn more at ywcasc.org.

For more than four decades, YWCA has answered the call of our local community, and we will be here as long as Sonoma County needs us.

Madeleine Keegan O’Connell is Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Sonoma County.