October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 💜 DV is a topic that will always be near and dear to my ❤️. In another lifetime, I worked closely with the victims, suspects, and children involved in DV. It is a very complicated science that comes down to power and control. It’s not as simple as, “why doesn’t she just leave?” Please swipe ➡️ to see the DV Wheel. If you know anyone who is in an abusive relationship, do your part. There are signs, though they may not always be bruises. Make sure he/she knows there are SO MANY resources out there to help. Visit https://www.thehotline.org/ Here are a few statistics that always stand out to me: ~ Everyday in the US, more than 3 women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends. ~ Studies suggest that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually. ~ Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. ~ Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten. ~ The first 2 months after leaving the abuser is the most dangerous time for a victim. ~ If your abuser strangles you, the chances of him killing you increase by 700%. ~ On average, a victim tries to leave 7 times before actually going through with it. ~And the most important one: IT NEVER GETS BETTER without intervention. It only gets worse, and that is a proven fact. If you’ve read this far, the last pic is my sweet, beautiful mama who died at the hands of her abuser. The one who was supposed to protect her and their 5 daughter. And also the one who made numerous threats over the years leading up to it. THANK GOD we have come a long way since the early 90’s. But a lot of women (and men) had to die to get us here. #nicolebrownsimpson #dvsurvivor #dvawareness #dvawarenessmonth #domesticviolenceawareness #domesticviolenceawarenessmonth (at San Diego, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGass-oHu7m/?igshid=1o7wxc8ylo09s