Domestic violence has been top of mind this month, not only because October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but also because in just the past few weeks, there have been several deadly domestic violence incidents in North Texas.

“Women and men suffer from domestic violence, and a lot of them in silence, so nobody’s ever knowing what’s going on until it’s too late,” said Yvette Stratford.

Stratford is a domestic violence survivor. She says that asking for help is rarely easy.

“I think a lot of emotions take place when you are going through that. One of them is embarrassment, that you’re even allowing yourself to be in that place, and then of course, knowing who is safe with that information,” said Stratford.

Women’s shelter offers 24-hour confidential support  

Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support understands how difficult it can be for victims to reach out, so it established a 24-Hour Helpline (214-946-HELP) that victims can call or text. All information shared is kept confidential.

“Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women in the United States. That is somebody’s mother. That is somebody’s daughter. That’s somebody’s best friend,” said Jan Langbein, CEO of Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support.

Langbein says the average number of assaults it takes before a victim calls the police is five and says that is where the community can step in and help.

“Dial 911, don’t get in the middle of it because that could be very dangerous for a bystander, and you don’t even have to be right, you don’t have to be a social worker. You don’t have to be a police officer, just say, I care about my neighbor,” said Langbein.

Thousands of incidents in Dallas in 2025

The City of Dallas shone a light on the issue at a recent resource fair. Many walked away with some unsettling statistics.

This year in Dallas, police have reported over 10,000 domestic violence incidents, 11 of which have been deadly.

Recent cases highlight urgency of awareness 

In the past month alone, CBS News Texas reported on four separate cases where women have lost their lives to domestic violence.

Keisha Hilliard, 42, a mother of five was killed in Mesquite, allegedly by her boyfriend.Chelsea Spillers, 33, was an Alvarado High School teacher allegedly killed by her husband.Briana Casto, 24, was killed allegedly by her boyfriend.Emilia Casandra Majano, 23, leaves behind two young children. She was allegedly killed by her partner.

Stratford says there’s power in using your voice to help.

“Don’t be quiet,  don’t allow somebody to determine how your future turns out,” said Stratford.