Domestic violence is characterized by "a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain control over another intimate partner." This type of abuse can be perpetrated using "physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person."

More than 1,600 Pennsylvanians have died as a result of domestic violence since 2007; more than half of those murders were committed with firearms. Domestic abuse does not discriminate; the violence transcends race, age, class or gender. Of the 102 people who died in 2016, 56 were women and 46 were men. They ranged in age from one-year old to 86.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and while every day is the right day for this conversation, this month provides an opportunity to bring together voices from the community - from advocacy and enforcement to recovery and education - to discuss ways of empowering the victims of abuse and prevent violence in the future.

On Friday's Smart Talk, we'll talk about identification and prevention of domestic violence and some of the legislative efforts being made to restrict gun ownership by abusers and an initiative to educate parents on how to teach their daughters to call out domestic abuse when they see it.

Joining Smart Talk are Jennifer Storm, Victim Advocate for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Susan Higginbotham, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. We will also speak with a victim of abuse who is now speaking out to other victims about standing up to violence.