A few months ago, I attended a scholarship reception at Pellissippi State Community College. Among the people I met that evening was a woman who spoke about her work helping victims of domestic violence. I didn’t think much about writing an article then. But something about that conversation stayed with me.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and as I started looking into the resources available in East Tennessee, I found myself wondering how many people actually know where to turn when they need help.
We hear about domestic violence all the time. We see headlines, read the statistics, and sometimes wonder why someone doesn’t just leave. But leaving isn’t always that simple.
What if you have nowhere to go? What if you have children? What if you are
a stay-at-home parent and financially depend on your partner? What if you’re afraid of what might happen if you try to escape? And what if the hardest part is recognizing that what you’re experiencing is abuse in the first place?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in three women in the United States have experienced physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. This isn’t just a national issue. Right here in Tennessee, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation recorded 60,467 domestic violence victim-offense reports in 2024 alone. Those numbers are difficult to ignore. But domestic violence doesn’t always leave bruises. Sometimes it looks like a partner who is controlling your finances, someone who isolates you from friends or family, or someone who’s making you afraid to speak your mind.
Recognizing abuse is important, but so is knowing where to turn when you need help. Fortunately, there are organizations right here in East Tennessee that offer support to people experiencing domestic violence. Whether you need a safe place to stay, help understanding your legal options, or simply someone to talk to.
In Knoxville, the Randall E. Nichols Family Justice Center brings together multiple agencies to help survivors access legal assistance, advocacy, safety planning, and other services in one location. TheYWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley also offer free victim advocacy services, including assistance with protective orders, safety planning, and support groups. The McNabb Center provides domestic violence crisis services, counseling, and emergency shelter.
When I first heard someone speak about the work being done to help survivors of domestic violence, I didn’t realize it would eventually lead me to writing this article. But the more I researched, the more I realized how important it is to talk not only about the problem, but also about the help that’s available.
October gives us a reason to have these conversations, but they shouldn’t stop when the month ends. And if this article helps even one person realize that they have somewhere to turn, then I think it’s a conversation worth having.Where to find help: Knoxville resource phone numbers:
- Randall E. Nichols Family Justice Center, (865) 215-7233
- YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley, (865) 523-6126
- McNabb Center, (865) 637-8000
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, 24/7, (865) 799-7233
Yuliya Halushko, Pigeon Forge, 37863
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Do victims of domestic violence know where to turn for help? | Opinion
