Local News: Brazos County Coalition Against Domestic Violence Holds Vigil

Sphere: Related Content Candlelight Vigil in Honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month
By: Katy Ralston

From the Texas A&M University Battalion

Tuesday night a flicker of light will represent a flicker of hope when candles will burn bright for the victims and survivors of domestic and dating violence.

The Brazos County Coalition Against Domestic Violence will have the 15th annual Candlelight Vigil in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month
at 7 p.m. on Oct. 27 at the Brazos Cotton Exchange in Bryan.

"The vigil brings community members together with those who help victims of domestic and dating violence every day in order to learn more about the domestic violence issues impacting our community; honor survivors who are now leading violence-free lives; and remember all of those who have died as a result of domestic violence," said Ashley McCollum, the coalition's, public outreach committee chairwoman.

In 2008, the Texas Department of Public Safety reported 193,505 family violence incidents across Texas. That year, 136 women and 11 children were killed as a result of domestic violence, one of which was on1-year-old Bezni Que King of College Station.

"Unfortunately, it is common and we need to raise the awareness and educate our young ones because we don't want them to fall into the same lines," said University Police Department Crime Prevention Master Police Officer, Kristy Hosea.

According to the BCCADV, domestic violence is defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person.

McCollum said the vigil, which drew a crowd of 250 community members last year, fulfills many purposes.

"It is our hope that community members will leave the vigil not only with a deeper understanding of this issue but also with the knowledge of what they can do to help when they suspect or witness an animal, child or adult is being abused," McCollum said. "Survivors and families of victims often find great comfort in attending candlelight vigils. They know everyone in that room cares and wants to help."

Each year the vigil features speakers on different issues relating to domestic abuse. This year's theme is "Family Secrets: Exploring the Link Between Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and Animal Abuse."

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reported that more than 80 percent of families being treated for child abuse were also involved in animal abuse, and in two-thirds of the cases the abusive parent killed or injured the pet. In one-third of the cases, a child victim continued the cycle of violence by abusing a pet.

Keynote speaker Ashley Wesp, executive director of the Brazos Animal Shelter, will discuss the link between families being treated for child abuse and the rate of animal abuse along with instances where animal cruelty and child abuse or domestic violence occur simultaneously.

Students and faculty on campus have also taken an active role in promoting Domestic Violence Awareness month.

"As part of Domestic Violence Awareness month, we have been doing the Silent Witness Program, we just finished doing These Hands Don't Hurt program, and we still have the Silent Witness figurines and the Clothesline Project on display in Rudder," said Merna Jacobsen, director of the Women's Resource Center on campus .

The Silent Witness Program is a national initiative to stop domestic violence, domestic abuse, family abuse and assault on women and kids.

"The silent witnesses are figurines, each which represents an individual who has been murdered by an intimate partner," Jacobsen said. "The purpose of this project is to call attention to how much relationship violence there is and let people know that this goes on in their local community."

Each figurine has a breastplate describing how they were killed. Four of this year's figurines displayed are Aggies.

In the last few years, hundreds of Aggies have participated in the These Hands Don't Hurt project where contributors make a pledge not to raise their hands in relationship violence by leaving their painted handprint on a canvas.

In the Clothesline Project, Aggies can decorate T-shirts with messages about domestic and family violence that are then put on display in Rudder.

Hosea said programs like these and the vigil are important to raise awareness in the community and provide an opportunity for people in these kinds of relationships to see how they can make a change.

"It shows that you are not the only one involved and that there are people out there who can help," Hosea said.

The BCCADV also provides education to teens and college students on healthy and unhealthy dating relationships to give them the information necessary to make good choices in dating and build strong relationships.

"We discuss the importance of respect, trust and communication in relationships; the forms of abuse; indicators of potentially abusive partners; and how to get help if they or someone they know is involved in an abusive relationship," McCollum said.

For more information about domestic violence or to find out how to get help go to www.bccadv.org.

Published on Monday, October 26, 2009