NAMPA, Idaho — October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. According to the Nampa Family Justice Center, a third of women and a quarter of men have faced domestic violence in their lifetime.
To spread awareness the justice center hosted an event in Nampa.
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Multiple speakers shared stories raising awareness for domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking.
Leslie Montgomery was one of the speakers. She faced a cycle of abuse throughout her life.
“I remember waking up in the middle of the night, listening to him screaming and yelling at my mother," Montgomery told Idaho News 6. "Listening to violence in the house, and just trying to be frozen.”
She was abused by both her grandfather and father, the person she once viewed as a hero.
“I think every child wants to believe that their dad is amazing and their hero, but it didn’t take them long to realize that my dad wasn’t," Montgomery said.
The justice center says Idaho needs to come together and support the victims of domestic violence.
“This is a community issue, and it takes a community to change the fabric of what’s happening in our homes and in our society,” said Angela Weeks who works with the center.
If you or someone you know needs help, visit the justice center's website.
