It is estimated that 1.3 million women will suffer some form of domestic violence this year; one in four women will be affected by domestic abuse in her lifetime.

If the statistics are sobering, so is the message behind an event at Ohio University Southern: There is hope and help for the abused.

The Lawrence County Domestic Violence Task Force will have its third annual domestic violence event at 7 p.m. Oct. 6 in Bowman Auditorium.

“What we want to do is raise awareness that no one has to live like that,” Task Force Director Elaine Payne said.

The two speakers for the event will be two survivors of domestic abuse, Judy Martinez Honican and Nikki Eplion Bryant.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.