The Kapio Newspress

Issue date: 10/26/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Sean Nakamura Since 1987 October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Local domestic violence help programs have beefed up its community outreach throughout October to raise awareness about domestic violence.

Since 1987 October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Although domestic violence help programs consistently educate and promote awareness about domestic violence throughout the year to the local community, it's in October that the country comes together to recognize victims of the domestic abuse.

Domestic violence is loosely defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners within an intimate relationship. Relationships that constitute as intimate are family, friendship, dating, marriage and cohabitation.

However, according to Angie Doi, director of program services for the Child & Family Service Domestic Violence Program, the majority of the victims who are domestically abused are women in intimate relationships with their partner.

"A study done by the Hawaii Commission on Status of Women in 1993 indicated that in Hawaii one in five women would be abused during their lifetime," Doi said. "This translates into at least 64,930 women in Hawaii who will be abused during some point in their life."

Women should understand that domestic violence isn't just classified as physical abuse. Domestic violence can also take the form of sexual, verbal and emotional abuse.

When domestic violence help programs head out into the community, one of its main goals is to educate people on what healthy relationships are - the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. See page 7 for signs of what an abuser and a victim of domestic violence looks like.

"The presentations that we deliver we call prevention curriculum," said Stephanie Ragolia, Teen Alert Program Coordinator. "We explain what health relationships are, how to help a friend who is in an abusive relationships and the all the different services that we offer."

While there have been increasingly more women coming forward to speak out about their abuse, Ragolia said it's not enough. There are still women being abused who aren't coming forward.

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