As we enjoy the beautiful—if soggy—spring weather of Southern California, we are also reminded that April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. National Child Abuse Prevention Month is the time to emphasize the safety of children by working together in our communities, with schools and social service agencies, to prevent child abuse and promote education about it. Domestic violence is never acceptable, and children of battered women are often abused. Children are vulnerable, afraid to communicate and frequently remain silent. Child abuse occurs in all …

March is Woman’s History Month. As we honor and pay tribute to women who have made a significant difference, Operation For HOPE Foundation would like to pay tribute to a special mom, a woman who was empowered with the fight to survive. The story is told through her son, a domestic violence survivor, a voice to end violence. A Survivor’s Story I was 11 years old when my Dad’s reign of terror finally ended. The day the abuse ended, I remember seeing him with his hands around my mother’s neck, bending her backwards over the kitchen sink. I remember her screaming as we four kids watched, …

Relationships should be violence-free and filled with respect, equality, honesty, communication, support and trust—and in February, Americans across the country are trying to teach teens exactly that. February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and this month, Operation for HOPE joins others in urging teens and parents to take a closer look at their relationships to ensure we or someone we love are not victims. Unfortunately, we hear reports daily about domestic violence but it isn't often that these reports include those impacted by teen dating violence. Teen …

If you witnessed someone being attacked while walking down the street, would you be able to walk by and not help—or would you find a way to get help or intervene? Many people believe that they would try to help another person in need. Why is it then that the opposite response is almost always taken when someone learns a friend, family member or someone they care about is in an abusive relationship? Do they say to themselves, “It’s a personal matter; it's none of my business. I shouldn’t ask any questions. If they need help they will seek help”? Unfortunately, unless someone outside the …

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and during this month, many will plan activities to engage our communities in an attempt to end relationship violence.  Statistics show one-in-four women, one-in-nine men and one-in-five teens experience some form of violence in their personal relationships. Abusers use power, control and fear tactics to keep their victims silent.  Domestic violence thrives on silence. Take a look at this T-shirt on the right side of this page. I, and others, at Operation for HOPE Foundation are deeply disturbed by this imagery. On Sept. 21, I wrote a …

“My abuser threatened to hurt me if I left or if I told anyone I was being abused,” said "Karen," a domestic violence survivor whose real name was not used to protect her identity. “I believed the threats that I received, and lived in fear that another family member would be harmed if I left. I felt powerless in my life, and leaving didn’t seem to be an option or even possible. I didn’t overlook what was happening and I wasn’t in denial that it would never happen again, but I hoped and wished it would get better.” Domestic violence is a complex and multilayered issue impacting every social …

Operation for HOPE Foundation is a nonprofit public charity which provides outreach, support, and advocacy to victims of domestic violence and their families. Our foundation is committed to helping victims find a place to be safe, remain safe and to heal from the physical and psychological wounds of domestic violence. Through statewide, national and local campaigns, we provide a message to domestic violence victims: “To reduce your risk, to understand what’s happening and to seek safety so you can take back control of your life, you need to act. You are not alone; help is available.” In …