10/08/2026
💜 HOW MANY MORE FAMILIES HAVE TO BE DESTROYED BEFORE WE START PAYING ATTENTION?
Over the past several weeks, headlines across the country have told heartbreaking stories of children killed by their own parents, families torn apart by violence, and lives lost in murder-suicides.
Children who should have been safe in their own homes. Families who will never be the same.
And behind every headline is a victim whose life mattered.
At CNADA, we believe it’s time for a much bigger conversation about family violence, mental health, and recognizing warning signs before another tragedy occurs.
Mental health matters. Access to treatment matters. Supporting parents who are overwhelmed, struggling, or experiencing a crisis matters.
But we also need to understand something incredibly important: Mental illness does not automatically make someone violent, and mental illness is never an excuse for abuse.
We need to recognize when emotional distress becomes a crisis, when controlling behavior becomes dangerous, and when threats need immediate intervention.
🚩 WARNING SIGNS WE CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE:
🔴 Threats to kill themselves, their partner, their children, or other family members.
🔴 Statements like “If I can’t have my children, nobody will” or “You’ll all be better off without me.”
🔴 Escalating anger, intimidation, violent outbursts, or threats involving weapons.
🔴 Using children as weapons during separation, divorce, or custody disputes.
🔴 Stalking, obsessive jealousy, isolation, and increasingly controlling behavior.
🔴 Expressions of hopelessness, severe emotional distress, or suicidal thoughts, especially following a major loss or crisis.
🔴 A history of violence combined with new threats or escalating behavior.
Not every person experiencing these warning signs will become violent. But threats of harm, escalating abuse, and suicidal behavior should never be dismissed.
💜 WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE CHILDREN.
Children are not bargaining chips. They are not possessions. They are not tools for revenge against another parent.
They are human beings who deserve to feel safe, protected, and loved.
A child should never have to fear the person responsible for protecting them.
And when a parent threatens to hurt a child, themselves, or someone else, we need to take those words seriously.
WE NEED TO STOP WAITING UNTIL SOMEONE IS HURT TO TAKE ACTION.
We need better access to mental health care. We need stronger community support. We need to listen when survivors express fear. We need to take threats seriously. And we need to recognize that family violence doesn’t always begin with physical injuries.
Sometimes it begins with control.
Sometimes it begins with threats.
Sometimes it begins with someone saying, “I’m afraid of what they’re going to do.”
And sometimes those words are the warning we cannot afford to ignore.
Here in rural Eastern Montana, getting help can be especially challenging. Distance, limited resources, transportation barriers, and a shortage of mental health providers can leave families feeling like they have nowhere to turn.
That is why organizations like CNADA matter.
We cannot prevent every tragedy. But we can educate, intervene, support families, and work toward safer communities.
If you are concerned about someone, don’t dismiss their fear. Listen. Take threats seriously. Help them connect with professional support. If someone is threatening immediate harm, call 911 rather than attempting to intervene alone.
💜 HELP IS AVAILABLE:
📞 CNADA 24/7 Crisis Line: 406-951-0475
📞 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
🚨 Immediate danger: 911
🌐 www.cnada.org
CNADA serves survivors across seven rural Eastern Montana counties, because no family should have to face violence alone. But no matter where you are, CNADA is here for you.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month is about more than wearing purple. It’s about recognizing danger, believing survivors, protecting children, and taking action before another family becomes a headline.
