October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- dejaerrington4
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
Domestic violence awareness month was first introduced back in 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic violence to bring more awareness to others and connect and unify the millions of affected victims that had been battered due to domestic violence. It is estimated that around 10 million people become victims of domestic violence each year, or around 20 people every minute. At Catholic Charities Inc. of Jackson, we have made it our mission since 1980 to take care of Mississippi and shed light on domestic violence in our state and protect our vulnerable populations.
Our domestic violence program, Jackson Victim Services, serves women, children, and men. Domestic violence does not discriminate, and neither does our shelter. The facility is staffed with trauma-informed care specialists. The shelter can accept victims from any of the counties in MS Highway Patrol's District One, which covers Hinds, Rankin, Madison, Simpson, Copiah, Yazoo, Warren, Issaquena, and Sharkey, and District Nine, which covers Lawrence, Lincoln, Pike, Wilkinson, Walthall, Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, and Amite. Staff also personally operate a 24-hour crisis line and are always on call outside of regular hours. We are so thankful for our seasoned full-time shelter staff: Sarah Bradley, Dawn Jones, Zuleania Travis, Caroline Bealer, and Ruby Tobias.
Purple Dress Run is Catholic Charities, Inc. of Jackson's largest fundraiser that specifically benefits our domestic violence program. This year, we are hosting our 14th annual 5k run/walk at The District at Eastover, in conjunction with both The District and Mississippi Race Timing. The race is followed by awards for the top performer of each category, drinks courtesy of Cathead Distillery, live music, and awards for best male and female costumes. It is a fun time for a great cause. Visit the link below to sign up.
