Houston-based nonprofit Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA) has launched its first social media campaign, called #EndAbuse. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the issue of domestic violence in Houston and inform victims and the public about the organization's services to assist victims, their families and the abusers.
Houstonian Esther Freedman started the campaign and recruited 20 of the city's top social media influencers who gathered at OKRA Charity Saloon to hear AVDA CEO Sherri Kendall speak on domestic violence and help support the cause by posting selfies using the hashtag #EndAbuse. Among the participating supporters are KPRC Ch. 2 meteorologist Britta Merwin, designer David Peck, Monica Abney of Classy & Fabulous, Laura Max Rose of The Light Files and CultureMap marketing manager Emily Goetz.
AVDA is asking the public to take selfies holding an #EndAbuse sign and post it with the same hashtag on social media.
AVDA is asking the public to take selfies holding an #EndAbuse sign and post it with the same hashtag on social media, in further hopes of spreading the word about the organization's services.
One in three women and one in four men in the United States have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The Texas Department of Health Services and the 2014-2015 Harris County Community Plan reports that more than 250,000 Harris County women are currently in domestic violence situations.
AVDA, which was founded 35 years ago, provides advocacy, safety planning, education and legal representation to more than 80,000 victims of domestic abuse while also offering intervention services to more than 10,000 domestic violence perpetrators. The organization also works with at-risk teens by offering much needed life skills and discussions relating to family violence, dating abuse and conflict resolution at the Harris County Juvenile Probation Youth Detention Center.
KPRC Ch. 2 meteorologist Britta Merwin was one of the 20 local influencers recruited to support AVDA's #EndAbuse Campaign.
