Shining light on domestic violence Published Oct. 5, 2016 By Airman 1st Class Destinee Sweeney 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the theme for this year’s observance is “Shining a Light on Domestic Violence.” One in three women and one in four men have experienced physical violence by a partner within their lifetime according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The goal of domestic violence awareness month is to educate the community and encourage people to think about what domestic violence is and what it looks like, said Patti Busser, 20th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy outreach manager. Domestic violence is typically considered aggressive behavior toward a spouse or partner and can include physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Although women ages 18-24 are the most common victims of domestic violence, everyone is susceptible. “With domestic violence there’s no age group, there’s no income level, there’s no race, gender, or religion that’s immune to it,” said Busser. “We see it in every walk of life so it’s something we always have to be aware of.” Some signs of domestic abuse include recurring bruises or injuries on the victim or a partner displaying extreme jealousy or controlling behavior. “The thing I always tell people is if your gut is telling you something is wrong, something is wrong,” said Busser. “You may not necessarily want to pick up the phone and call 911, but you might want to ask a few questions - Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?” Busser said if an individual witnesses an incident they should call 911. “Don’t put yourself in danger,” said Busser. “But doing what you can to assist not only saves lives but could help a victim know they are not alone and there are people who care enough to help.” Resources are available to all Airmen, civilians and family members who may be experiencing domestic violence. “A lot of the women and men I talk to don’t know there is additional help for them,” said Lillian Hadley-Small, 20th MDOS family advocacy domestic abuse victim advocate. “As an advocate, I’m like their wingman. As their wingman, it doesn’t matter whether they’re in or out of uniform, civilian or military.”