10/01/2026
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but for so many of us, the reality of it doesn’t fit neatly into a 31-day calendar. It lives in the quiet choices we’ve made, the battles we’ve fought, and the relentless hope that safety is possible for everyone. Emotional, physical, mental and financial safety.
Years ago, my story was one of survival. Today, it is one of advocacy.
Walking through that fire changes you. It gives you a lens that never really turns off. It’s why every time I sit in this seat as the Executive Director for the Mitchell Area United Way, I carry every single survivor I’ve ever walked alongside—hundreds of stories, hundreds of faces, and an unbreakable commitment to ensuring no one has to navigate the dark alone.
Healing isn't a linear path, and leaving is rarely a single, clean moment. It requires a safety net woven by a community that refuses to look away. That is why the work we do at United Way is so deeply personal to me. We don't just fund programs; we build lifelines. The same programs that I had to rely on to ensure I could get out.
We do not do this work in isolation. I am profoundly grateful for our partner agency, SafePlace of Eastern South Dakota, who stands on the front lines every single day offering shelter, advocacy, and a bridge to safety for those fleeing violence. They provide the physical refuge when the world feels like it’s collapsing, and the steady hand that guides families toward a new beginning.
To anyone currently in the thick of it: I see you. I believe you. You are not alone. One of the things that kept me going was something an advocate said to me decades ago. “You survived the abuse, the neglect, all of the terrible things, and you will survive the next stages of your life after you leave.” Survivors find a way. We always do.
To our community: Be the safe harbor. Listen without judgment, believe without condition, and support the organizations making refuge possible. Educate yourself, your children, and your neighbors. Abuse hides in the open. Homes you would never suspect.
If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out. SafePlace is there, and our community is standing with you.
Crisis Line SafePlace: 605-996-4440 24/7 💜
-Sydney Lanning, Executive Director MAUW
