Content note: This blog discusses domestic violence and intimate partner violence.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, support is available. Call Georgia’s 24-Hour Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-334-2836 (1-800-33-HAVEN), V/TTY, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (1-800-799-SAFE).

October marks National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an important opportunity to raise awareness, honor survivors, and recognize the lasting impact domestic violence can have on individuals, families, and communities.

This month serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding the prevalence of domestic violence, recognizing its effects on mental and emotional well-being, and working together to support survivors.

Understanding the Scope of Domestic Violence in Georgia

To understand the importance of this issue, it is essential to recognize its prevalence in our state. In 2024, Georgia recorded 42,184 reported incidents of family violence, representing a 12% increase from 2023. The state also reported 159 domestic violence-related homicides that year.

These numbers reflect a serious and ongoing concern that affects individuals across communities, regardless of their age, background, or circumstances. Domestic violence is not limited to one particular population or demographic. It can happen to anyone, and its effects often extend far beyond the relationship itself.

The Impact of Domestic Violence on Mental and Emotional Health

Domestic violence can affect nearly every aspect of a person's life. Abuse is often hidden from others, leaving survivors to navigate fear, isolation, and emotional pain in private. When a relationship that should offer love, safety, and support becomes a source of repeated harm, the effects can be profound.

Both individuals currently experiencing domestic violence and those who have survived it may experience lasting mental and emotional health challenges. These can include symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as flashbacks, nightmares, dissociation, and hypervigilance. Survivors may also experience anxiety, depression, and difficulties with trust and interpersonal relationships.

Even after leaving an abusive relationship, the path toward healing can be complicated. Survivors may continue to experience fear, uncertainty, and a heightened sense of alertness as they work to rebuild their lives and regain a sense of safety. Healing takes time, and each person's experience and recovery process will look different.

Understanding these effects is an important step toward responding with compassion rather than judgment. Survivors deserve to be met with empathy, support, and access to resources that help them move forward at their own pace.

What Is Georgia Doing to Support Survivors?

Across Georgia, advocacy efforts, legislative changes, and support services are working to address domestic violence and improve outcomes for survivors. While there is still work to be done, several recent developments reflect efforts to strengthen protections and promote access to justice.

In 2025, Georgia passed the Survivor Justice Act, which provides a legal pathway for certain incarcerated survivors of abuse and trafficking to seek sentence review or resentencing under qualifying circumstances. The law recognizes that a history of abuse, coercion, or trauma may be relevant to understanding the circumstances surrounding an offense and pursuing justice.

Georgia has also expanded protective order provisions to include pets, recognizing that threats to an animal's safety can be another barrier for individuals considering leaving an abusive relationship. These protections acknowledge that survivor safety involves more than physical separation from an abuser; it also means addressing the many factors that can make leaving difficult.

Together, these efforts represent meaningful steps toward recognizing the complex realities of domestic violence and strengthening support for those affected by it.

How Can You Get Involved?

Domestic Violence Awareness Month offers each of us an opportunity to learn, listen, and take action. Getting involved does not always require a large platform or a formal advocacy role. Sometimes, meaningful change begins with becoming more informed and helping others feel safe enough to speak openly about their experiences.

Here are a few ways to make a difference:

Educate yourself. Learn about the prevalence of domestic violence, its impact on mental health, and the barriers survivors may face when seeking safety and support.
Challenge stigma. Help create an environment where survivors are met with compassion rather than blame or judgment. The way we talk about abuse can influence whether someone feels safe enough to seek help.
Support local organizations. Consider volunteering, donating, or sharing resources from organizations that provide advocacy, shelter, counseling, and other services for survivors.
Listen with empathy. If someone trusts you enough to share their experience, listen without judgment. You do not need to have all the answers to offer meaningful support. Encourage professional help when appropriate, while respecting the individual's choices and safety.

Awareness is an important starting point, but it is only one part of the work. By continuing to learn, speak up, and support those affected by domestic violence, we can help foster communities where survivors feel seen, believed, and supported.

Support and Healing Are Possible

If domestic violence is part of your story, or the story of someone you love, please know that support is available. You do not have to navigate the healing process alone. With appropriate support and care, survivors can work toward rebuilding a sense of safety, strengthening their emotional well-being, and moving forward in ways that feel right for them.

At Atlanta Wellness Collective, we believe in creating safe spaces where individuals can heal, grow, and transform. Individual therapy can offer a supportive environment to process difficult experiences, explore emotional challenges, and work toward personal healing.

To learn more about our counseling services and support, visit contact us or schedule an appointment online.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please reach out for support. Georgia’s 24-Hour Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-334-2836, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

This blog post was written by Alyssa Kiss.

This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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