“Everyone Knows Someone.” That’s the central message behind this month’s local domestic violence awareness campaign.
The Hawai‘i Department of Health says 13% of the state’s population has experienced domestic violence.
Angelina Mercado, the executive director of the Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, says most people know someone in their life who is a survivor of intimate partner violence.
The organization has created brochures on how to support loved ones in violent or unsafe situations, and how to recognize different types of abuse.
"Some of the really nuanced tactics of power and control are not necessarily physical, they can be things like isolation. Suddenly their partner has to be there all the time, or they have to get permission from their partner, or they're constantly checking in with their partner like texting them," Mercado said. "Technology abuse is also another form of domestic violence, so is somebody monitoring your social media, is somebody monitoring your phone, is somebody looking into your emails, etc."
"If you're a friend or a colleague and you hear any of that, or you suddenly notice that your friend is not as available and checking in, those are some red flags. You might just want to have a conversation and say, 'Hey, I noticed this is going on. Is there anything you want to share with me?'" she said.
Brochures can be found in seven languages at public libraries and on their website at hscadv.org.
This interview aired on The Conversationon Oct. 21, 2022. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
