CHESTER COUNTY, PA — The Chester County Commissioners have proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), reinforcing a decades-long national effort to raise awareness, honor victims, and support survivors. The announcement comes as the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC) reports serving 1,853 individuals in the past year, its third-highest service total on record.
DVCCC, which operates six outreach offices across the county, also reached more than 5,500 teens and adults through prevention and education programs. Its services include counseling, advocacy, and legal support, offered at no cost in Coatesville, West Chester, Oxford, Downingtown, Phoenixville, Kennett Square, Malvern, Exton, West Grove, and Pottstown.
Domestic violence remains a significant public health and safety concern, though recent data suggests progress. Pennsylvania reported fewer domestic violence-related deaths in 2024, aided in part by programs like DVCCC’s Lethality Assessment Program (LAP). In 2025, 34 local police departments conducted 516 LAP screens during calls, with nearly two-thirds of victims found at high risk of homicide. More than 81% of those individuals engaged with DVCCC services, underscoring the impact of early intervention.
October’s awareness campaign will feature countywide events and community partnerships. Highlights include:
- Light the Night for Hope & Healing (Oct. 7): Purple lights will illuminate landmarks in West Chester, Phoenixville, Coatesville, and Kennett Square. Interactive activities such as luminary decorating and wildflower-seeded dove ornaments will honor victims and support survivors.
- Saxbys Fundraiser (Oct. 8): Saxbys at West Chester University will donate proceeds from sales of its new Ube Matcha drink to DVCCC.
- Pints for a Purpose (Oct. 15): Locust Lane Craft Brewery in Exton will host a fundraising evening with guest bartenders Rachel Malak and Abby Urban of PHL17’s Positively Philly.
- Film Screening (Oct. 23): The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville will show The Invisible Man (2020) followed by a panel discussion on technology-facilitated abuse, featuring domestic violence experts and Chester County Chief Deputy District Attorney Michelle Frei.
Other initiatives include the 10th annual Paint the Town Purple campaign, awareness displays at county libraries, police and sheriff’s office vehicles carrying purple ribbons, and partnerships with local businesses and the Brandywine Valley SPCA to promote visibility of DVCCC’s hotline and services.
“This building of awareness is about saving lives,” said Dr. George F. Fiore, executive director of CCIU, during the county’s proclamation. “We would never accept an hourlong drive each day for other children, and so we must not accept it for these children either. Here at Engle, that reality changes.”
With Chester County’s population expected to grow and demand for mental health and support services rising, DVCCC’s October programming emphasizes both prevention and community solidarity in addressing domestic violence.
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