top of page

 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS

 OVER 20,000 

 WOMEN HAVE BEEN 

 POSITIVELY IMPACTED 

 BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 

HER STORY

​

The Portia Southern Foundation was started in October of 2015, as a non-profit organization, geared to advocate for families that felt they had nowhere to go, nowhere to turn, and no one who would listen.

Portia Southern was a silent victim of Domestic Violence till her death. She was born April 29, 1985. She attended High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. Upon completion, she graduated with honors and went on to pursue her career in the United States Navy. She achieved numerous medals and commendations during her military career. Portia was a Quarter Master 2nd Class on Assault Craft Unit 1 on Coronado Island, CA. She had a passion for everything and everyone she touched. So much so, you could say that she was a perfectionist. Her family, friends, and colleges, loved and admired her drive and determination. She left her smile upon everyone she touched.

​

Portia was a very strong and strong willed individual. She could handle and excel in any task or assignment given to her with no supervision. She took her strengths and used them in her professional and personal life. She could hold her on. Whatever problem or situation she faced in her marriage, she felt confident that she could handle it. This last trial to right any wrongs in her relationship was more than she or anyone could imagine. An early day off duty to take the kids to the dentist would be her last. She walked into her home to find her husband sitting there, waiting for his perfect moment. As documents would show, this was not the first encounter, but certainly the last. This time unlike others, Portia though she could defuse whatever was wrong (again), but could not save herself or her husband. This would be her last cry, leaving two innocent children without a mother or a father.

​

I, Veda Cavitt am the mother and the voice of Portia Southern., advocating for all those victims that have been silent. I will help find protection, shelter, and resources for those victims. I will scream to the Heavens until someone listens.

THE HARD TRUTH

60%

HAVEN'T REPORTED TO THE POLICE

93%

ARE VICTIMS DOMESTIC ABUSE

40%

DON'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT IT

​Domestic Violence Awareness Month takes place every October. It evolved from a Day of Unity first observed in October, 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The intent was to connect advocates for survivors of abuse across the nation who was working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became a special week when a range of activities were conducted at the local, state and national levels, and has since grown to become a federally observed month of awareness and action on domestic violence.

Subscribe for Updates

Congrats! You're subscribed.

Understanding the Legislative Process

The legislative process is the means by which a bill becomes a federal law.

How a Bill Becomes a Law

First, a member of the House or Senate drafts a bill and introduces it in their chamber. The bill is then considered and voted on by the committee of jurisdiction and then it is sent to the floor to be voted on by the entire chamber. The process may then be repeated in the other chamber, or a similar bill may be proceeding at the same time. Eventually, legislation that is passed by the House and Senate must go to “conference” where House and Senate members work out the differences before passing the legislation through their respective chambers. Then the bill is sent to the President to be signed into law.

For more information on how a bill becomes a law, please visit:

STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT

© 2023 by The Voice Project. Proudly created with Wix.com

  • Facebook App Icon
  • Twitter App Icon
  • YouTube App Icon

#1Thing, One Movement:

Working Together Towards Collective Liberation

By Casey Keene, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

Division is a tool of oppression. The remedy is collaboration.

Advocates across social justice movements have long known the power of solidarity. However, often the very institutions that sustain us also perpetuate a system of divisiveness and competition among organizations whose goals and values intersect, and between movements searching for voice and visibility. It takes humility and courage to prioritize collective action over individual agendas, and to step back to make space for others, which are necessary shifts in order to achieve true social transformation.

“Transformative movements recognize that we are whole people, our communities are whole, and because the issues and problems are interconnected our systemic solutions and movements must be as well.” - The Practices of Transformative Movements, Movement Strategy Center, 2016

The VAWnet TA Question of the Month for October, How can movement building support our efforts for social change and collective thriving?, explores the Idaho Coalition’s journey to engage in multi-generational movement building work in order to actualize “beloved communities with social equity and collective liberation.” They describe this work as “building a bigger we,” which includes intentional efforts to build authentic relationships with leaders and organizations connected to and rooted in historically marginalized communities.

Similarly, NRCDV’s CEO, Farzana Safiullah, has articulated a clear and bold vision for moving our transformative work forward. Among other priorities in service to this charge, she has emphasized proactive efforts to deepen NRCDV’s commitment to racial justice, to cultivate authentic relationships with community leaders and movements, to invest in stronger connections with community-driven social change efforts, and to engage diverse voices to create healthy relationships and beloved communities.

In May 2018, the Global Fund for Women engaged researchers, advocates, and philanthropists in a conversation that identified the following broad-based movement trends (Investing in Social Movements, Global Fund for Women, 2018):

 •  “There are new forms of solidarity across issues, sectors, and geographies. We are seeing social justice organizations linking up and bridging issues, such as environmental justice with land rights or domestic worker rights with migrant worker rights—bringing together movements advancing racial, gender, social, and political justice. By seeking commonalities and overlapping goals, our collective impact is more inclusive, effective, and sustainable.”
 •  “There are interesting new forms of transnational activism both online and offline, such as #NiUnaMenos, #Neveragain, and #MeToo. These movements are led by women who have been historically left out of the conversation. They are bringing the marginalized to the center, crossing borders, and allowing online organizing of major protests that bring thousands together in person.”
•  “Intersectionality is being recognized as a critical component of social movements. Audre Lorde understood that we must acknowledge the various ways that discrimination intersect and the commonalities across our organizing when she said, ‘There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single issue lives.’”

Now is the time. We must act together.

“#1Thing is about harnessing the momentum of our movements – especially at their critical points of intersection – by calling people to specific and direct collective action that are informed by the communities most directly impacted.” – Awareness + Action = Social Change: What’s Your #1Thing?, 2018

This October, the Domestic Violence Awareness Project has chosen the theme, #1Thing, One Movement, challenging each of us to identify new ways to move forward together toward our common vision.

What are some concrete ways that you can “build a bigger we” during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Beyond?

Applications will be accepted between February 1st and March 31st

​

Scholarship awards are between $250 and $1500 each

​

Only complete applications will be considered for scholarships and must be submitted to ThePortiaSouthernFoundation@gmail.com Only.

​

Offer or Denial notifications will be sent out at the beginning of April and awarded Scholarships will be presented at the end of April.

​

If you have any questions, please contact us at ThePortiaSouthernFoundation@gmail.com

​

​

Domestic and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet

 

Incidence, Prevalence, and Severity Domestic violence and sexual assault are pervasive, life-threatening crimes affecting millions of individuals across our nation regardless of age, gender, economic status, race, religion, or education level. ï‚« More than 1 in 3 women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.i ï‚« Nearly 8 million women are raped, physically assaulted, and/or stalked by a current or former intimate partner each year.ii ï‚« 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have experienced rape in her or his lifetime.iii ï‚« Nationwide, an average of 3 women are killed by a current or former intimate partner every day.iv ï‚« Survivors of color and immigrant survivors face increased barriers to accessing safety and services. A 2019 survey found that 3 out of 4 advocates reported that immigrant survivors fear accessing legal services related to their abuser.v

bottom of page