Domestic violence is a pervasive issue that affects millions of Americans each year. One in four women experience severe domestic partner violence in their lifetime, and it accounts for 15% of all violent crime in the US. The prevalence of domestic violence is not just a statistic; it represents real lives that are disrupted, and sometimes destroyed, by abuse.
Further, the effects of domestic violence aren’t limited to women and children in harmful relationships. Collectively, survivors miss about eight million days of paid work per year, resulting in lost productivity for their employers. Nationally, the cost of domestic violence is 8.3 billion dollars per year.
Here are some additional major reasons to consider focusing your holiday giving on domestic abuse nonprofits this year.
The Holiday Season Is a Time of Increased Risk for Survivors
While many of us associate the holiday season with joy and family gatherings, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time for survivors of domestic abuse. Studies indicate that domestic violence incidents tend to increase during the holiday season. Factors such as financial stress, increased alcohol consumption, and family pressures contribute to this spike. The holidays can also exacerbate the isolation that many survivors feel, making it even more challenging for them to seek help.
Nonprofits Help Domestic Abuse Survivors in Multiple Vital Ways
Organizations that support domestic abuse survivors play a critical role in providing them with immediate safety and long-term stability. These nonprofits offer help for women’s abuse through a range of services, including emergency shelters, legal assistance, counseling, children’s programs, and more.
Each of these provides survivors and their children with forms of vital support for both short-term and long-term situations, including resources they can use to protect themselves during and after an abusive relationship.
Your Gift Provides Safety, Hope, and Resilience to Survivors
Perhaps the most significant impact of these organizations is the hope they offer to survivors. By providing essential services and emotional support, nonprofits enable survivors to envision and work towards a life free from abuse. This is particularly crucial for women with children, as these services often include childcare and educational programs designed to break the intergenerational cycle of violence.
All of this gives abused women the resources they need to navigate a path to a healthier, happier life. However, giving children hope for this life is equally important — during the holidays and throughout the year — because it can help them cope with and recover from the trauma they incur as a result of their relationship with their mothers’ abusers.
Give Survivors the Gift of Hope and Resilience With CAWC
At Connections for Abused Women and Their Children (CAWC), we believe that everyone has a right to a life free of violence. Our mission to end domestic violence is rooted in education, service, and advocacy. In addition to working toward broader social change, we provide empowerment-based and trauma-informed support in the form of shelter, counseling, and advocacy to individuals affected by domestic violence and their children.
If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic violence, don’t hesitate to call our 24-hour hotline at (773) 278-4566.
Want to help us protect more women and children? You can impact the life of a domestic violence survivor or a child who witnessed domestic violence by donating to CAWC today or by supporting our work in other ways.