With only 12 months in a year and hundreds of important causes, October is a busy month for awareness. Just to name a few examples, October is the designated month for arts and humanities, dental hygiene, and of course, breast cancer awareness. With all of these issues in the spotlight during the same month, it’s easy for some causes to get stuck in the shadows of others. One of these causes is domestic violence.

Though October is also National Domestic Violence Awareness month, there weren’t many stories in the news promoting it.

The stories are anemic compared to the stories that promote breast cancer awareness.  In order to alleviate that, here’s a story about my family.

The earliest memories of my childhood are of my father as he beat my mother. He didn’t save all that special attention for her.

My brothers and I have been beaten with bullwhips, stabbed, choked and handcuffed to telephone poles.

When I was ten years old, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She had a mastectomy.

When I was 17-years-old, the cancer returned, and she held off treatment because she was afraid that my father would get upset with her for going to the hospital.

Do you get the insanity of that?  My mother would rather have cancer than deal with my angry father.

When my mother finally made it to the hospital, her cancer had spread to practically every organ in her body.

She died two months later.  When people ask me how my mother died, I say it was cancer, but really, it was domestic violence.

Domestic violence is a secretive, insidious creature.  Most people who are victims of domestic violence are ashamed to talk about it.  I know I was.

The only way to be saved from something like domestic violence is to talk about it and get help.  If you’re a victim of domestic violence contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline for help at 1-800-799-7233.  I know it’s tough to call that number.  I stared at it for years, but my life didn’t get better until I finally got help.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence fact sheet, twenty-five percent of women will be a victim of domestic violence in her lifetime.  It is estimated that 1.3 million women are victims of assault by an intimate partner each year.  One-third of female homicide victims were killed by their intimate partner.

This means that you likely know someone who is a victim of domestic violence.  If that’s the case, do not be a silent bystander.  Reach out and help.

Odds are, the victim will not ask you for help.  If you hear neighbors arguing, and it sounds violent, call the police.

Domestic violence is one of the most underreported crimes in the country.  If you see it, report it. You could be the one thing standing between life and death.

Katerina Canyon is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences.