October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) and throughout the fall, crisis centers in New Hampshire are hosting several events to raise awareness about domestic violence and educate their local communities about the resources available to survivors.
Take action during DVAM and attend an event in your area! We all have a role to play in ending abuse in New Hampshire!
DVAM EVENTS
HAVEN
Thursday 9/26, 5:30 pm Changing Lives Gala Wentworth by the Sea Country Club
This year, HAVEN is celebrating and honoring 45 years of supporting, educating, and empowering! Join them for an evening of delicious food and drink. Hear from their incredible keynote speaker, staff, and other distinguished guests. Doors will open at 5:30 pm for guest to enjoy appetizers, a free drink, and mingle with guests.
Saturday 11/16, 5:00 pm A Night of New Beginnings Belknap Mill
Join New Beginnings for an evening of dining, dancing, and making a difference. The event will begin with cocktails at 5:00 pm, with dinner and dancing to follow.
The requested dress code is business/cocktail attire.
Saturday 10/19, 2:00 pm RiverFire 5k Service Credit Union Heritage Park
This year the event is both in person and virtual. Participants can run/walk the certified course in person on October 19th or choose to do the event virtually by dedicating a 3.1-mile (5K) run/walk/hike on a course of choosing any time in support of Response.
"In person" participants will run or walk a flat and fast, certified 5k (3.1 miles) course along the picturesque Androscoggin River ending their race at Berlin's annual RiverFire Celebration featuring music, mouthwatering food and drinks, and activities for the entire family.
Friday 10/4, 6:00 pm Annual Candlelight Vigil Schouler Park
Join Starting Point for their annual candlelight vigil at Schouler Park for an evening of remembrance for those whose lives were lost to domestic violence, for those whose lives were shattered by domestic violence, and for those who survived it and lit the way for others.
Following the vigil, at 7:00 pm, there will be a fundraising event for Starting Point- Underground Sunshine: A Celebration of Women in the Arts.
Wednesday 10/2, 4:30 pm Walk a Mile in Their Shoes (WAM) Main St. Concord, NH (State House Arches) Join Thrive for a celebration on the first Wednesday of October for the 10th Anniversary of Walk a Mile in Their Shoes (WAM): Eras Edition! WAM is a light-hearted event to raise awareness about very serious issues – domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. We walk to show solidarity, support survivors, and to raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence in Merrimack County.
This year, their theme is Eras, a nod to Taylor Swift’s iconic Eras tour and an opportunity to celebrate decades of history in their community. Whether Eras means rocking out to your favorite Taylor Swift song or rocking your best 70s, 80s, or 90s attire, they can’t wait to walk with you. Friendly four-legged friends are welcome. One thing we always look forward to at Walk A Mile In Their Shoes is the shoes – pumps, platforms, stilettos, knee-high boots, sneakers, flip flops and even flats. You can wear whatever works for you!
The SHARPP Center for Interpersonal Violence Awareness, Prevention, and Advocacy (UNH)
Tuesday 10/1, 5:30 pm Pre-Take Back the Night Speech Workshop MUB 338/340, Durham The SHARPP Center presents their first ever Pre-Take Back the Night speech workshop! This event is focused on helping those who might be interested in speaking navigate the decision to share (or not to share) their story at TBTN. This workshop will also be used for speech building strategies and practice, and review ways to prioritize well-being before and after TBTN. As a 90-min one time program, this will NOT be a drop-in style event. Instead, they recommend those interested arrive at 5:30pm and leave when they need to! This event is open to undergraduate & graduate students.
Tuesday 10/8, 6:30-8:00 pm Pre-Take Back the Night Craft Night MUB 334, Durham
Grab a group of friends and come on by! From poster-making, Clothesline Project T-shirt creations, awareness bracelets, to awareness ribbon painting- the SHARPP Center has it all. Crafts made at this event can either be taken home or left with SHARPP Center staff to be incorporated into a powerful visual display at their annual Take Back The Night event. This is a drop-in style craft night, where you can stop by for as much (or as little) time as you're able to! Dinner and refreshments will be provided.
This event is open to all UNH community members (undergraduate & graduate students, faculty & staff).
Thursday 10/17, 8:00 pm (rain-date Thursday 10/24) Take Back the Night Thompson Hall Lawn at UNH
Join the SHARPP Center this October for their largest and most powerful event of the year. Take Back The Night (TBTN) began at UNH in 1981 but has been a staple at universities/colleges since the early 1970s! TBTN at UNH is easily one of the most impactful student-led events offered to the UNH community each year. It serves as both a community call to action and a space for those impacted by violence/abuse to share advice, stories, poetry, and more. TBTN is about shattering the silence around interpersonal violence (IPV: stalking, relationship abuse, sexual violence, & harassment) and enhancing awareness around what IPV looks like within collegiate spaces. It's a place where we can come together to provide support for those impacted by violence, be in community with other survivors/victims, and create change on campus.
This event is open to all UNH community members (undergraduate & graduate students, faculty & staff). This event is free from mandatory reporting, which means what is shared at TBTN will not result in a UNH Title IX report being filed.
Turning Points Networks is celebrating DVAM with special events in town across Sullivan County. You are welcome to join us as we recognize the causes that lead to intimate partner and family abuse and explore prevention measures that can stop violence before it occurs.
Claremont Wednesday 10/23 Ten Healthy Signs of Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships, Community Workshop Location will be announced.
This event is cosponsored by the Claremont Chamber of Commerce. Refreshments and resources will be available from 5:30 - 6:00 pm. The workshop will begin at 6:00 pm.
Newport Thursday 10/3, 5:30 pm Building a Web of Support in the Newport Community Library Arts Center, Main St.
Please Join Turning Points Network in a community conversation on Building a Web of Support in the Newport Community and enjoy the current media display of "the Loosely Knit Alliance" at the Library Arts Center. There will be a raffle at the event and dessert will be provided.
Saturday 10/19, 2:00 pm Rising from the Ashes South Congregational Church, 20 Church St.
The Sherbrooke Ensemble will be featuring an afternoon of flute and piano by female composers, featuring Cassie White on flute and Mark Lutton on piano. Admission is free and all donations will benefit Turning Points Network.
Thursday 10/15, 12:00 - 8:00 pm The Clothesline Project Plymouth Town Common
A powerful exhibit that bears witness to lived experiences of domestic and sexual violence, and displays statements of support and speaking out against violence of this kind.
Thursday 10/15, 7:00 pm Candlelight Vigil Plymouth Town Common
The vigil is an opportunity to honor the victims who lost their lives due to domestic violence, show support for those who are grieving or currently facing abuse, and recognize the efforts of all those working to end domestic violence in New Hampshire.
Monday 10/21, 4:30 pm Ask the Professionals Panel Facebook Live Voices is hosting a live discussion with panelists who will share their role in supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence. Attendees will be able to submit questions prior to the panel.
Tuesday 10/29, 5:30 pm Celebration of Impact 300 North Main St., Plymouth
Join Voices for a meaningful evening dedicated to honoring the strength and resilience of survivors and the work of Voices Against Violence. This special event will bring together the community to reflect the organization's mission, celebrate the progress they've made, and highlight the impact of their programs in supporting those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault.
The evening will feature remarks from Voices' board of directors, their executive director, and author Leslie Morgan Steiner. Leslie is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Crazy Love; the critically acclaimed anthology Mommy Wars: Stay-at-Home and Career Moms Face Off on Their Choices, Their Lives, Their Families; The Baby Chase: How Surrogacy is Transforming the American Family; and her latest memoir, The Naked Truth, which explores female sexuality, self-esteem and dating after 50. She holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Wharton business school. Her TEDTalks about domestic violence and the ethics of global surrogacy have been viewed by over ten million people. She is a member of the National Advisory Council for the Conference on Crimes Against Women.
Pre-registration for this event is required. Admission is free.