In the time it takes you to read this tagline, 4 people will be abused. One of them might be someone you know.
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In situations of dating or domestic violence abuse, the first thing a victim begins to lose is their voice. That is why we believe the power of a voice can play an impactful role in transforming the lives of those affected by dating and domestic violence and furthering the effort to end this issue.
Because voices have power, Verizon has teamed up with the National Network to End Domestic Violence and Break the Cycle to create the HopeLine program, a digital forum that enables anyone to send a message of hope to survivors of domestic violence. Messages can be posted on your social networks with the hashtag #VoicesHavePower, texted to #94079, or posted on the Voices Have Power site. Whichever you choose, Verizon will donate $3 for each message to causes that support dating and domestic violence prevention efforts. To date, the program has raised over $25,000.
#voiceshavepower because every time we speak up, we get a little bit closer to the day when survivors no longer have to hurt in isolation.
Larissa, Boston
A minute is all it takes for an abuser to destroy or even end someone’s life, while a minute of inspiration can make all the difference for a survivor.
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The VoicesHavePower page cites numerous statistics on domestic violence, including this shocking number: in the U.S. 24 people are abused every minute. In the time it’s taken you to read this far, if you’re a relatively fast reader, at least 20 people—women and men—will have suffered some form of domestic violence or abuse. Instead of feeling powerless to stop it, why not leverage the power of the web to funnel money towards prevention, while also sending an inspiring message to people who need to read inspiring words every day just to survive the next 24 hours.
#VoicesHavePower its NEVER okay for someone to put their hands on you degrade you disrespect you ..you are loved and beautiful
Angela Riggs
You can also print out a pdf, write your message of hope on it, and post it in your workplace or community, and the VoicesHavePower Pinterest page has photographs of some of the most moving messages.
It is not your fault. Nothing you did ever made you deserve to be abused. No exceptions. #VoicesHavePower #EndVAW #DomesticViolence #Hope
SafeHavenMinistries
Posting a message of hope for survivors takes less than a minute. A minute is all it takes for an abuser to destroy or even end someone’s life, while a minute of inspiration can make all the difference for a survivor. Domestic violence is an uncomfortable subject, and many people shy away from speaking up or getting involved. That needs to change. The HopeLine program is a great start to ending the silence. You can donate a minute, lend your voice, and let Verizon and their partners do the rest.
Because this does happen; both to women and men. Everyone deserves respect and love. #voiceshavepower
Photo—Howard Lake/Flickr