One in three women and one in seven men report being victims of domestic violence. Monday at Kent State Trumbull Campus, both survivors and loved ones of those lost joined together.
They were given a chance to remember the lives of those who fought domestic violence and celebrate others overcoming.
This is the 24th year Trumbull County’s domestic violence agency – Someplace Safe – held their Unity Day vigil and ceremony. It’s an evening of remembering, healing, and moving forward to end domestic violence, both here in the Valley, and across the country.
“Remember and be angry remember the black eyes and broken limbs,” one woman said while speaking.
Anger, mourning, and hope were all present Monday night. They poured sand in remembrance, read names of lives taken, and came together for the Unity day Vigil.
“Being able first of all to stand up in front of people and to let them know ‘hey I’ve been through this and I’m a survivor, I think it’s a very cathartic process for them,” said Bonnie Wilson, Someplace Safe director.
And that’s just what some did, sharing their stories of their own encounters with domestic violence, in an effort to heal themselves, and those in the audience.
“I was able to break the control he had over me and I stopped believing it was my fault,” another woman said.
“It shows that other people go through it sometimes n an isolated state you feel you don’t have anybody to turn to and there’s organizations you can go to that you can get the help that you need,” said Someplace Safe administrator Nicole Cuthbertson.
Monday night’s motto, Awareness plus action equals social change.
“So often people want to do something but they know that domestic violence is wrong and we have a really big issue with it but they don’t know what to do,” Cuthbertson said.
They shared signs of domestic violence. Signs such as “It wasn’t that bad”, or I could do better, or “You’re being emotional”.
But also, ways you can help, even as just a bystander.
“If you imagine a million people doing one thing then that would really create a social change,” Cuthbertson said.
“I think people wanna come out and find out what can I do,” Wilson said.
