Domestic Violence Awareness Doesn’t End After October

Written by: Amanda Briggs, Community Engagement Specialist at Rise Above Violence

As we near the end of the month of October, and therefore Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we remember that awareness does not end when we flip our calendar page and turn our thoughts to preparation for the holidays. Domestic violence does not take a break, and we encourage you to use the time with family and friends to offer love and support to any survivor you know. As you pass the purple ribbons around town, which were placed by volunteers in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we invite you to ponder the ways in which you can get involved to support survivors and be part of making our community a safe place for all.

Rise Above Violence will continue to serve survivors through safety planning, advocacy, and educating survivors about their options and resources. Rise will also continue to serve the greater community through awareness and education efforts. We are honored to provide a safe space where people know they will be treated with dignity and respect and where their choices will be honored. Our free and confidential 24-hour hotline can be reached by dialing 970-264-9075.

We deeply appreciate the efforts of our volunteers, iRise Adventure Challenge Participants, and everyone who took time to interact with our educational material on social media this month. Connection and relationships are important to safe communities, and we love seeing Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County come together to learn, support, and be part of ending domestic violence in our area.

If you would like to get involved with Rise Above Violence as an advocate, peer counselor, or fundraiser, please call 970-264-1129, ext. 6 to learn about our many volunteer opportunities.