2024 Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Peaceful Living, Soroptimists bring attention to domestic violence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

By Brittany Spratt, Programs for Peaceful Living

Bingen, Washington (September 18, 2024) - Programs for Peaceful Living (PFPL) is the local Domestic Violence resource agency for Klickitat County, serving survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and general crimes.

Each year, PFPL brings awareness to the dynamics of Domestic Violence throughout October, which is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year, in collaboration with Soroptimist International of Mt. Adams (SIMA), the team has several activities planned using the color purple to honor the prevention efforts against domestic violence.

The group will decorate the memorial “Triangle Garden” at the intersection of NE Estes Avenue and NE Green Street in White Salmon with purple ribbons, create a display at the Goldendale library, and help local businesses decorate sweets with purple toppings to show their support. All month, community members can pick up a purple lapel ribbon from a local PFPL office and wear it in support of domestic violence survivors.

Domestic Violence is serious. No one thing defines it. It is often displayed as limiting or restricting a person’s access to friends and family, removing access to a personal phone or email. It can even include sabotaging the survivor’s workplace. This type of abuse often escalates to verbal and or physical violence such as slapping, hitting, pushing, shoving, punching, etc.

Abusive partners can have unpredictable moods, which often change quickly. This can make it difficult to know when the abuser will overreact or have a sudden outburst. Some abusers may also minimize their partner’s feelings and show signs of jealousy, suspicion, and anger, even if it is unwarranted.

An individual does not have to suffer multiple occurrences of violence or undergo abuse from a loved one for an extended period of time to seek help through Programs for Peaceful Living.  Just one instance of abuse from an intimate partner is considered to be domestic violence and can have lasting effects on the survivor, their children, family, and friends.

Programs for Peaceful Living offers services to Klickitat County residents free of charge and with complete confidentiality. Upon seeking services, an individual first meets with an advocate at one of two Washington locations: 115 West Steuben Street in Bingen or 116 West Main Street in Goldendale. The client will be asked to complete an intake with an advocate and then discuss which services would benefit the survivor.

Some services advocates can offer domestic violence clients include;

  • Crisis support

  • Preparing and filing protection orders

  • Court support

  • One-on-one advocacy

  • Therapy referrals

  • Support group

  • Medical advocacy

  • Legal advocacy

  • Safety planning

In the past 12 months, Programs for Peaceful Living has served 128 domestic violence clients, providing 459 hours of advocacy and 104 hours of support groups, and has sheltered 13 families at our local safe house.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and need help, please reach out to an advocate at Programs for Peaceful Living. Call WAGAP at 509-493-2662 and ask for the Programs for Peaceful Living office in Goldendale or Bingen. Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on Fridays by appointment.

If you are in crisis, contact the 24/7 Crisis Line at 844-493-1709.

Tamara KaufmanWashington Gorge Action Programs