Each of us can use October to learn something new about the issue and commit to do a little something. As one example, give us a call to get a few of our business cards to have in your purse. You never know when someone you run into might need it.

One Board member told this story: "I was at one of our favorite restaurants and was talking to the waitress. Somehow the conversation came around to how I was on the Board of CVAN. By the end of the short conversation, the waitress told me she might need to call a place like CVAN. Luckily, I had one of your cards in my purse. So I gave it to her to have when she was ready."

In our community - we do talk about Domestic Violence. Because first we listened to battered women. And since we began in 1982, we come together to say domestic violence is wrong and we are here for battered women and their children.

Take one minute to listen - to an actual 911 domestic violence call that became the first PSA for domestic violence during the Super Bowl.



The national NO MORE PSA Campaign is spearheaded by the Joyful Heart Foundation in partnership with NO MORE.

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10 things you may not know
about Domestic Violence and CVAN

10. CVAN's first service was our 24-hour hotline in March 1983, where we received 12 calls. We now average 150 calls each month.
9. "Rule of Thumb" comes from an old North Carolina law that said a man could beat his wife with a stick, provided it was no wider than his thumb.
8. Our newest program is our Outreach Center at 109 Church Street, Concord. Our Outreach Center is open by appointment - if you or someone you know is battered, you can call our Hotline to schedule an appointment.(click here to learn more about all our Services)
7. VAWA - the Violence Against Women Act - was a landmark federal law that passed in 1994. It created funding, legislation and discussion that impacted Shelters, law enforcement and spurred a National Domestic Violence Hotline - 1-800-799-SAFE.
6. In August, 1984, CVAN opened our Shelter. The Shelter is their home while they are here. As one child said after a week in Shelter "this is the best sleep I have had in my life!"
5. Domestic Violence affects a woman's health in less obvious ways: Women who have experienced domestic violence are 80 percent more likely to have a stroke, 70 percent more likely to have heart disease and 60 percent more likely to have asthma than women who have not.
4. The first Battered Women's Shelter in the United States opened in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1973.
3. CVAN is an acronym for Cabarrus Victims Assistance Network - that's how we incorporated on September 10, 1982 - our "birthday" as an organization.
2. October 8, 1984, over one-third of all American television sets tuned into the premiere of "The Burning Bed." Based on the true story of a battered woman, Francine Hughes. The same year we opened our Shelter.
1. Your support does matter: A recent Shelter Resident wrote, "CVAN has given me a life that will keep on giving for eternity."

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Click here to view and print off the Domestic Violence Awareness Matrix and see how you can explore the many ways that you can be more involved with CVAN.

The most important thing to do is to Listen & Learn:

Listen:
• Listen to her - it's one of the most powerful things you can do.
• Give her our 24-hour hotline number (704.788.2826) to explore her options; talk about resources; and make a safety plan. Our hotline is confidential.
• Know that she may not be ready to talk with us right away. Every woman has her own process.
• You can also call our 24-hour hotline (704.788.2826) you can talk with an Advocate about her situation; our services and how to help her.
• Know that she may not be ready to leave. Leaving is difficult and dangerous and is a unique process for each woman. Only she knows when she is ready to leave safely.
Learn:
• A woman is battered every 15 seconds in the United States.
• Domestic violence is gender-based, disproportionally affecting women. 4 out of 5 victims are women.
• Approximately 1 in 3 adolescent girls are abused in a dating relationship.
• Battering can happen to any woman. If you stereotype, then you will miss the battered woman in front of you.