October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. One in three women in the United States has been a victim of domestic violence, regardless of age, economic status, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Violence and trauma can lead to chronic health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and cancer.

OWH encourages survivors to seek medical attention from trusted health care providers who can help prevent or treat these chronic medical conditions, perform screenings and brief counseling services, and refer survivors to other knowledgeable service providers.

If you or someone you know is a survivor of domestic abuse or spousal abandonment, find out more about the Affordable Care Act’s special enrollment period for access to health care, independent of an abuser.

More Information

• Share Beverly Gooden’s blog post on surviving domestic violence and #WhyIStayed.
• Check out the October Spotlight on Women’s Health by Kelly Vrooman.
• Learn ways to help a friend who is being abused.
• Use hashtags #DVAM, #DVAM15, #DVAM2015, and #DomesticViolence in social media messages to join the conversation.