September Roar | Domesitc Violence 💜 + Cyber Awareness 🔒 & October Events

Yesenia Yser
Sep 23
4 min read

*One month. Two Ribbons. One mission. Protecting survivors — online and offline.*

🌅 Why September Matters

“Before the awareness months begin, we equip the pride.”

October is packed with awareness campaigns — Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM) 🔒 and Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) 💜. But Lionesses don’t wait for reminders. September is our proactive month — when we sharpen our claws 🐾, strengthen our shields 🛡️, and prepare before the spotlight arrives. This is when we get ahead.

🔗 The Overlap: Why Cybersecurity Is a Survivor Issue

🚨 Abusers often stalk or track via phones, emails, and social media

🗑️ Survivors may not know how to scrub photo metadata or turn off location tracking

💻 Tech-facilitated abuse is real — Lionesses must know how to defend

💜 DVAM reminds us: safety is holistic — physical + digital defense go hand in hand

10 Digital Safety Musts for Survivors

🔑 Create a “safe” digital exit plan. Set up a separate email account or cloud storage to securely save copies of IDs, restraining orders, and financial records — accessible from anywhere if you need to leave quickly.

📱 Audit app permissions regularly. Abusers sometimes install apps that track location, record audio, or read messages. Review what each app can access and disable anything unnecessary.

🕵️ Check for stalkerware. Hidden spyware may appear as “safety” or “parental control” apps. Watch for unusual battery drain, high data use, or unfamiliar apps.

🚨 Learn your phone’s “panic” features. Many devices let you press the power button 5 times to call 911 or alert contacts. Know where these emergency shortcuts are — and practice using them.

💳 Secure your financial accounts. Enable transaction alerts for online banking, Venmo, PayPal, and shopping apps. If possible, create an alternate account for emergency funds.

🏠 Hide digital trails in shared spaces. Use private browsing when researching shelters, resources, or legal help. Clear history when safe, and disguise resource bookmarks in innocuous folders or notes apps.

📸 Lock down social media metadata. Remove geotags from photos, avoid “check-ins,” and review your friend lists to prevent tracking through mutual contacts.

💬 Set up safe communication channels. Use encrypted apps like Signal or create decoy accounts to securely message advocates, friends, or lawyers.

🔐 Update account recovery options. Change recovery emails and phone numbers if an abuser has access. This prevents them from resetting your passwords or locking you out.

👧 Teach children safe digital habits. Help kids understand not to share location or photos online, set boundaries for device use, and guide them on what “unsafe” digital behavior looks like.

💜 DVAM Spotlight: Survivor Solidarity

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. DVAM is about more than purple ribbons — it’s about action:

🟣 Wear purple to show solidarity

🕯️ Attend a local vigil or awareness event

📢 Share survivor resources in your circles

🛡️ Remember: digital safety is survivor safety

Together, DVAM + CSAM remind us that the fight against abuse must be fought on every front — physical, emotional, and digital.

📣 Join our mission and amplify the roar: #1MillionStrong: Women Who Fight Back

👁️‍🗨️ Lioness Watch

This month we roar louder for those highlighting tech-facilitated abuse. 🦁 📣 From survivor voices to new legislation, the world is finally acknowledging: digital defense = personal safety.

🗓️ October Awareness Month Events – CSAM + DVAM

👻 Oct 7 – Browse Like a Ghost: Intro to TOR for Safer, Smarter Surfing 6:40 PM – 7:50 PM Learn how to install, configure, and use TOR safely to browse with less digital trace. What TOR can and can't protect you from. Free! 🔗 Register here
🧒 Oct 14 – Tiny Clicks, Big Risks: Protecting Kids in the Digital Age 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Explore what schools and apps collect about our children, how tracking tools work, and what COPPA and other privacy laws do (or don’t do). Free! 🔗 Register here
🛍️ Oct 21 – Holiday Scam Survival Guide: From Inbox to Checkout 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM A women-focused webinar covering phishing emails, fake stores, charity fraud, and how to shop safely this holiday season. Includes practical strategies and checklists. Free! 🔗 Register here
💜 DVAM All Month Long – Survivor Solidarity Wear purple, attend local vigils, and raise awareness about the realities of domestic violence. Digital safety is survivor safety — honor DVAM by protecting yourself and your pride online.

🦁 Final Roar: Your Call to Action

📤 Share this newsletter with one person who needs to feel safe.

👩‍👩‍👧 Tell your sisters.

👩‍🎓 Teach your teens.

We don’t wait for October — we guard each other now.

—The Lioness Instincts Team 🦁💜

📲 Stay Connected with the Pride

Keep building. Keep learning. Keep roaring. 🦁✨

🌐 Follow us:

🎥 Missed a Webinar? Catch all the replays here ➡️ Lioness Instincts YouTube 💻✨

🗞️ September 2025 Newsletter | Brought to you by InfiniteIsh1

Donations

🦁 Support the Mission. Empower the Movement.

Every donation helps us provide life-changing resources—from self-defense training and digital privacy workshops to sponsoring women in competition and beyond.

Your support fuels our work to educate, protect, and empower women in both physical and digital spaces.

🌟 Ready to Empower?Click below to sponsor an athlete and be part of their success story. Every contribution makes a difference!

www.thelionessinstincts.com/donate

Volunteer Opportunities

We are seeking volunteers to help with the following:

Digital Privacy Speakers: Interested in sharing knowledge on personal privacy and online safety with our community.
Social Media: Drive engagement by managing and growing our online presence.
Marketing: Spread the word about our initiatives and impact.
Program Manager: Help us stay engaged and on task.

If you're interested in volunteering, please reply to this email.

We Want to Hear from You!

Thank you for being a member of our Pride here at The Lioness Instincts community. We value your feedback and suggestions on how we can better serve you.

If there are specific topics you'd like us to cover or events you'd like to see in our next newsletter, please let us know. We do our best to keep our website schedule and Eventbrite listings up to date with all upcoming events. Be sure to check them regularly for the latest information and new opportunities to engage and grow with The Lioness Instincts community.

Let's continue to empower and support each other as we strive to provide the best resources for your self-defense, digital privacy, and career development. Your input is crucial in helping us grow and improve our offerings. Together, we can make a difference!