Shining a light on Domestic Abuse
October, typically commemorated as Breast Cancer Awareness month, is also set aside each year to shine a spotlight on domestic abuse as it has a scary connection to the former, victim’s rights advocate Jeanne Brykalski notes.
“It is not a coincidence that October is both Domestic Violence Awareness and Breast Cancer Awareness month as MOST domestic violence victims who develop breast cancer will not be allowed by their abuser to get a mammogram or go the doctor, as the abuser does not want anyone to see current or old bruises, broken bones and other injuries during a medical exam,” she said.
As one of two Farragut representatives on Knox County Community Health Council, Brykalski made a presentation to that organization Thursday, Oct. 16, sharing a variety of statistics and information about domestic violence.
Defined as “ a pattern of abusive behaviors used to gain and maintain power and control over a victim, domestic violence can be physical abuse, but nonphysical forms including financial control, stalking and emotional abuse can be just as harmful,” she said.
“No matter what it looks like or where it happens, all forms of abuse are harmful whether they are considered a crime or not.
“Victims and survivors need and deserve to be heard and supported in their journey to safety,” Brykalski continued. “Behind each number is a person, a family and a community forever changed by violence.
“Every community is affected by it,” she continued. “Domestic violence affects every zip code, it does not care about financial or educational status; it does not respect age, and, although women are the majority of domestic violence victims, men are affected also, and that number is growing.”
She said this year’s DVAM theme is “You’re a survivor.”
“It is both a recognition and a call to action, [acknowledging] the courage and strength it takes to live through abuse while also affirming the dignity and potential that every survivor carries forward,” Brykalski added.
“Surviving domestic violence is not only about enduring harm — it is about reclaiming power, healing from trauma and moving toward a future filled with possibility.
“Too often, survivors are defined only by their experiences of abuse … this theme challenges that narrative by celebrating their resilience, amplifying their voices and reminding our community that survivors are leaders, parents, neighbors and friends.”
She said domestic violence “matters” because it is not just a private issue, but is actually “a public health and safety crisis that affects individuals, families and entire communities. According to national data, one in three women and one in four men will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes, she shared.
And the impact on children cannot be overstated, Brykalski added.
“Many, if they are not already living in violent neighborhoods, suffer through divorce, being bullied and typically have [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder],” she said. “A lot of times, they go through life ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop.’”
Still others “continue the cycle of abuse into adulthood.
“In our own community, the need for support is constant,” she added. “Every day, law enforcement and social services respond to calls for help,
provides safe shelter to families fleeing abuse and offers counseling, legal advocacy and long-term support to those rebuilding their lives.”
She said one thing the average person can do “is just be aware. We encourage people to be observant and ask questions if they see anything out of the ordinary or something that might seem suspicious.”
Supporters also are encouraged to wear purple ribbons this month “as a way to stand in solidarity with survivors.”
“A dark purple ribbon shows support for victims of violent crime and crime victims’ rights.”
It is a topic Brykalski herself knows all too well, as her parents were brutally murdered in their Village Green home in 1995, and she has fought for victim’s rights ever since.
