October marks National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to reflect, educate, and act.

It is time to unite around a shared vision: creating families, communities and corporations where safety, respect, and understanding are not exceptions but daily aspirations. 

Our focus must always be on breaking complex problems into achievable and identifiable goals. Preventing violence, whether in homes, schools, workplaces, or communities, requires the same disciplined, compassionate and simple approach.

In an earlier article Unity Is Not a Soft Skill, the concept of Unity is reframed as a measurable, teachable, and actionable skill. Unity is not passive agreement or surface-level harmony; it is the active practice of aligning diverse perspectives toward a common purpose. Unity is not a soft skill, it is a life skill!

When we apply it to the prevention of domestic and interpersonal violence, Unity becomes the tool for transformation.

Violence thrives in isolation, misunderstanding, a lack of knowledge, and fear where people feel unseen, unheard, and undervalued. 

Unity, on the other hand, thrives in connection, empathy, and shared accountability. It is a knowledge of understanding by teaching individuals and organizations how to communicate effectively, resolve conflict constructively, and build trust intentionally. The cycle of harm can be interrupted before it begins.

Awareness is the first step of the journey but it is not the destination. Another previous article, Building Safe Futures: Turning Awareness into Action, emphasizes that awareness must lead to measurable change and ongoing improvement. This means we can learn the skills to recognize early warning signs, intervene safely, and support those affected by violence.

This action is the beginning of making ourselves aware that ending Domestic Violence begins with education, teaching emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and goal-setting as foundational life skills. 

It continues with collaboration, bringing together educators, business leaders, political leaders, commUNITY advocates, and policymakers to create environments where safety and respect are built into the culture. 

Our culture can then maintain and sustain our awareness through accountability, measuring progress, sharing results, and continuously improving strategies to prevent harm.

The Achieving Unity Success Formula (AUSF) is built on the principle that success is not achieved in isolation. It is achieved through clarity, alignment, and consistent action. When applied to violence prevention, this formula helps individuals and organizations:

1. Identify the Problem Clearly: Define what violence looks like in specific contexts, from emotional abuse to systemic inequities. (LID - Listen In Dialogue)
2. Set Achievable Goals: Establish realistic, measurable objectives for prevention, education, and support. (BID - Break It Down)
3. Align Resources and People: Bring together diverse stakeholders who share a commitment to safety and respect. (WID – Write It Down)
4. Take Consistent, Coordinated Action: Evaluate outcomes, policies, and practices that reinforce Unity and accountability. (RID – Review Its Dependencies)
5. Measure and Adjust: Celebrate progress, implement programs, and refine strategies for greater impact. (GID – Get It Done)

This structured approach transforms good intentions into sustainable results. It empowers communities to move beyond reactive responses and toward proactive prevention.

Preventing violence is not the responsibility of one person, organization, or sector, it is a collective effort. Collaboration allows for shared learning, pooled resources, and innovative solutions that no single entity could achieve alone. Executive leaders, Judicial leaders, Legislative leaders, Political leaders, educators, commUNITY leaders, and advocates each play a vital role in building safer, more unified communities.

The invitation is open to those who share this vision of productivity: to collaborate, invest, and co-create initiatives that teach the skills necessary to prevent and address all forms of violence. Together, in Unity, it is possible to transform awareness into action, and action into lasting change.

Closing Encouragement & Call to Action

Every act of Unity, every conversation, partnership, and shared goal, creates a ripple effect that strengthens the fabric of society. By teaching and practicing the principles of Unity, communities can replace cycles of harm with cycles of healing and growth.

Starting October 2025, as the nation observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month, let it also be a time to recommit to building Unity as a foundation for safety and peace. Through education, collaboration, and shared purpose, the vision of a world free from violence moves from aspiration to reality.

For those ready to take part in this mission, to create a better life for themselves and other, the path forward begins with one simple but powerful step: choosing Unity, then Achieving Unity.