October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October has been named Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which gives us a great opportunity to open the discussion on this important issue. As an Oklahoma law firm, AMA Law is committed to helping raise awareness about domestic violence and the importance of protecting the rights of victims in an effort to prevent future abuse.
What Counts as Domestic Violence?
The state of Oklahoma defines domestic violence is an actual or threatened act of violence that occurs between two people in the home. In most cases, the people in question have been involved in an intimate relationship of some kind. It is important to note that domestic violence is not just physical assault, but it can also be characterized by verbal or emotional abuse, or even damage to physical property or pets.
The History
Domestic Violence Awareness Month can be traced back to October of 1981 when the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence observed the first Day of Unity. The intention of this event was to bring victims, social workers, advocates, policymakers, and supports together in order to fight this issue together. This Day of Unity has since evolved into a whole week, and now a month devoted to raising awareness to domestic violence. Today there are numerous events and activities on the local, state, and federal level designed to bring attention to the importance of domestic violence.
Oklahoma Takes Domestic Violence Seriously
If you or someone you love has been the victim of domestic violence, it is important for you to contact the local authorities as well as your Oklahoma law firm. Because domestic violence cases are considered victim’s rights cases, they have different rights than other court cases. Our team of attorneys at AMA Law are knowledgeable and have a great deal of experience representing individuals throughout the state of Oklahoma in these cases.
We encourage you and those around you to use October to educate yourself about domestic violence and do what you can to raise awareness for others. The color purple has been designated as the official color of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and we therefore ask you to join us in wearing purple to show your support of those affected by domestic violence.