ALEM - October is domestic violence awareness month and North Shore advocacy groups are sponsoring a series of events that call attention to this widespread social problem.

Salem-based Help for Abused Women and their Children (HAWC), which provides services to victims in 23 communities north of Boston, will spearhead many of the activities.

For example, at noon on Tuesday, Gloucester Mayor John Bell and members of the Gloucester Coalition for the Prevention of Domestic Violence will kick off "Five Years Later - Gloucester's Domestic Violence Free Zone Campaign."

On Thursday, Oct. 12, Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett will play host to the fourth annual Domestic Violence Awareness Breakfast at the prosecutor's 10 Federal St. office in Salem, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. The guest speaker is Georgina Melendez, executive director of Case Myrna Vasquez.

Later that day, at CinemaSalem in Salem's East India Mall, HAWC will host a premiere showing of "In Harm's Way," a stage dramatization of actual stories drawn from North Shore victims of domestic abuse, teen dating violence, bullying and teasing, according to Kathleen Miller, HAWC development director.

Documentary filmmakers Henry Ferrinni and Susan Steiner follow the making of "In Harm's Way," written and directed by Nicole Richon-Schoel, director of education and outreach at HAWC. The curtain is at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5. For reservations, call (978) 744-8552.

On Saturday, Oct. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., a youth summit entitled "Teens PAVE the Way: 2006 Promoting Anti-Violence Education," will be held at Pine Manor College, Ellsworth Hall, 400 Heath St., Chestnut Hill. The summit will focus on strategies to end dating violence and sexual assault, and feature a presentation of "In Harm's Way' by Ipswich Teens Against Dating Violence.

A HAWC fundraiser is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 15, at The Dragon Within martial arts studio, 278R Highland Ave., Salem. The event is a day of fun activities, food and prizes, aimed at raising awareness of domestic violence. The fundraiser is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

During the latter half of October, events include domestic violence awareness days on Oct. 17-18 at the North Shore Community College (NSCC) campuses in Lynn and Danvers. HAWC Executive Director Candace Waldron will speak on domestic violence at the Second Congregational Church of North Beverly on Sunday, Oct. 22, at 9:30 a.m. Domestic violence in the workplace will be among the topics presented when the North Shore Business Women of the Year gather at the NSCC campus in Lynn on Thursday, Oct. 26 at noon.

According to Waldron, HAWC during the past year assisted 4,247 callers seeking help via the organization's 24-hour hotline. Another 409 attended support groups, and 712 victims received individual counseling, support and advocacy.

HAWC also provided legal assistance in court to 1,912 victims, and by phone to 856 others. Its children's program provided 88 youth with counseling and assisted 338 callers, while 6,169 elementary, middle and high school students participated in its Youth Outreach program.

"Now that that fall has arrived, the children are back in school. Some children will attend two, maybe three different schools this year due to domestic violence," said Waldron. "One day we had a 9-year-old boy in our office in tears. He was an A student, had his homework in his backpack, but could not return to his school or say goodbye to his classmates and teacher because he and his mother were fleeing to a domestic violence shelter in western Massachusetts in order to be safe from his abusive father."

That anecdote is one of many Waldron shares to make her point that domestic violence remains a major problem and that public awareness must be raised in addition to helping its victims.

The numbers are staggering, she said, noting that a 1995 landmark study of court records by the Office of the Commissioner of Probation found that about 43,000 children in Massachusetts are exposed to reported acts of domestic violence each year.

In 2005, the state Department of Education launched an initiative aimed at creating trauma-sensitive schools, which seeks to educate teachers about the impact of trauma on learning and behavior since they are a critical link to intervention.

The Peabody public school system was among the recipients of 23 district grants from the state, ranging from $15,000-$36,000. Waldron said the funds pay for professional development; creation of teams to assess individual student cases; expanded counseling services; referrals to outside support services; parent and family workshops on the effects of trauma; conflict resolution training for teachers and students; consultation with local hospitals, mental health facilities, domestic violence shelters and other community organizations.

"For years, schools on the North Shore have been key partners with HAWC in addressing and preventing domestic abuse and youth violence. Last school year, HAWC staff educated over 6,000 school age students about healthy dating relationships and the warning signs of abuse, with the support of Verizon, North Shore United Way, and other local foundations," said Waldron, noting that the production of "In Harm's Way" uses theater, song and dance to raise awareness about the harmful effects of violence.

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