Each October, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), Sanctuary for Families honors survivors, raises awareness, and recommits to ending abuse in all its forms.
When faced with the epidemic of intimate partner violence, it can be difficult to know where to start. This year, we chose to highlight the importance of prevention work.
Sanctuary intern, Lily, shares what prevention means to her as a college junior studying in New York City.
A Conversation in the Park
Thousands of college students pass through Washington Square Park each day—people like me, heading to class, meeting friends, studying in the sun. That made it the perfect place to meet my peers where they already are during DVAM. No stage or microphones, just a table, flyers, and genuine interactions.
Understanding Domestic Violence as a College Student
Before interning at Sanctuary, I thought domestic violence meant physical abuse in long-term relationships or families. I didn’t realize it could also involve emotional, sexual, or digital abuse—or that so many people my age are affected.
Many students enter their first serious relationships in college without the tools to recognize unhealthy dynamics.
Sexual violence and coercion are too often dismissed as blurred boundaries or misunderstandings, yet the reality is over 40% of students experience at least one sexually harassing behavior in college.
I’ve learned that prevention begins with awareness and conversation. Addressing sexual and domestic violence means recognizing that harm is not always visible–and silence allows it to persist. I want to remind my peers that domestic violence isn’t only about physical harm, but about how we practice care, consent, and accountability in all relationships.
Why Prevention Matters?
Preventing domestic violence means working together to stop abuse before it starts, reduce risk factors, and build communities grounded in safety, respect, and equality. Prevention strategies tackle the root causes of abuse through education, awareness, community engagement, and advocacy for systemic change.
In Washington Square Park, our goal was simple: to start a conversation with college students during DVAM. Throughout the day, people connected in unexpected ways—friends stopped to learn more, a former Sanctuary intern reconnected, and young men talked about how important this work is.
Outreach like this meets people where they are, often before they realize they need help or know where to find it. When even one young adult learns to recognize warning signs or feels equipped to support a friend, it can help prevent the escalation of abuse and build a culture of safety, dignity, and respect.
It can be the first step toward a future where everyone can live free from violence.
Sanctuary’s Prevention Work
At Sanctuary, we run outreach and clinical programs focused on supporting children and young adults.
We deliver tailored training sessions for staff and students in schools, colleges, sports clubs, community organizations, workplaces, and healthcare settings. These trainings cover topics such as:
- Teen dating violence
- Consent
- Healthy relationships and conflict resolution
- Recognizing and preventing abusive patterns
- Technology-facilitated abuse
- Challenging gender inequality
Sanctuary also offers trauma-informed counseling and youth leadership programs to children, teens, and young adults up to age 21 who have experienced domestic violence in the home.
Throughout my time at Sanctuary, I’ve learned that:
Children exposed to violence are 15x more likely to experience future physical and/or sexual abuse.
That’s why it’s critical to engage, support, and educate young people—to break cycles of victimization and perpetration and stop abuse before it starts.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call Sanctuary for Families at 212-349-6009.
If you or someone you know is a student survivor of sexual assault, Sanctuary can provide counseling and legal support. To set up a consultation, please fill out our Intake Form. Contact campusadvocates@sffny.org if you have any questions.