Frezell, of Omaha, Neb., is one of the more than half a million women that the YWCA supports each year through domestic violence services. The YWCA USA will observe its 11th Annual YWCA Week Without Violence, Oct. 15-21. Local YWCAs across the country will host events to spotlight the issues of violence against women.

YWCA USA is calling on the public to participate in the campaign. Its Web site, www.ywca.org, provides easy to do activities addressing violence prevention each day of the week. For instance, starting Sunday, Oct. 15, write a tribute on the YWCA USA online quilt and read about the warning signs of domestic abuse. Another day’s activity is to join an online chat with the emerging band The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus about its music video depicting domestic violence. To learn about the activities for each day, go to www.ywca.org and click on Do Something.

“Every 15 seconds, a woman somewhere in this country is physically abused by a man she knows. The sheer magnitude of this epidemic can feel overwhelming, but silence literally can be deadly,” said YWCA USA CEO Dr. Lorraine Cole. “We all know these women behind the statistics. They are our family members, friends, and coworkers. But we don’t always recognize them as domestic violence victims.”

The 2006 campaign asks the simple question, “Would you recognize a victim of domestic violence?” in an effort to demonstrate that domestic violence can touch anyone. Frezell, who sought help from YWCA Omaha, remarked that no one at her place of employment would have suspected that her husband was abusive.

“I had a strong personality at work,” said Frezell. “It just shows that it could be the one person that everyone looks up to, that confident one at work. It could be her.”

The YWCA Week Without Violence focuses on all forms of violence. New this year, the YWCA USA has provided public resources at www.ywca.org/weekwithoutviolence, which contains statistics, signs of abuse, tips, and more.