Lumina Alliance and Cal Poly Safer are calling attention to Dating and Domestic Violence Action Month this October. The theme, “We Deserve,” highlights that everyone deserves respect, equity, honesty, bodily autonomy, independence, boundaries, healing, joy, and so much more in all relationships. Several events are planned for the month, including campus events at Cal Poly, a Celebrate Community Fun Run & Festival to raise money for Lumina Alliance and a film screening of Dirty Dancing at The Palm Theatre, followed by a panel discussion with guest experts in the fields of Intimate Partner Violence and healthcare.
1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience some form of violence by a partner. Nearly half (45.9%) of women experiencing physical abuse in a relationship also disclose forced
sex by their intimate partner. The odds of experiencing interference with birth control was 2.4 times higher among women with a history of physical violence by their partners compared to non-abused women. These statistics illustrate the prevalence of reproductive and sexual coercion within intimate partner relationships, which is why Lumina Alliance emphasizes the importance of reproductive freedom for all women as a matter of equity, safety, and health.
“We know that survivors represent a disproportionate number of those seeking abortions and are more likely to experience unplanned pregnancies, infections, and infertility, as well as abuse at the onset of pregnancy,” said Lumina Alliance CEO Jennifer Adams. “We at Lumina Alliance empower survivors to make decisions for themselves, and we respect them as experts in their own lives.”
Throughout October, there are many opportunities for community members across the county to learn more about domestic violence, actions they can take to prevent it, and how to foster healthy relationships in their lives. Lumina Alliance and Cal Poly Safer have created a calendar of events for October.