Community Walks to Raise Awareness of Domestic Violence

At Concordia College yesterday, Assembly Members Amy Paulin, Adam Bradley and George Latimer and My Sisters' Place led college and high school students, citizens young and old, victims, and victims assistance organizations in a march through Bronxville to bring attention to a societal evil that permeates every community and all races and social classes - domestic violence.

"Walk With Me" was planned as part of a state-wide initiative to help end domestic violence. Domestic violence, also known as partner abuse, spouse abuse, intimate partner violence or battery occurs when one person inflicts either, emotional, physical or psychological injury to control another person that they have or had, a relationship with.

"The single largest cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States is domestic violence. It is estimated that between 40 and 70 percent of female murder victims are killed by their husbands or boyfriends, frequently in the context of an on-going abusive relationship. This walk was for our mothers, daughters, sisters, neighbors and friends," said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.

"Victims of domestic violence often feel powerless; they know that the abuse will continue until they find the inner strength to stop it. We need to help them stop it and let these victims and the victim's families know that they are not alone. We need to empower these victims with laws that will truly protect them from their abusers and we need to let the abusers know that they will be punished," Paulin added. She has been a leader in the Assembly sponsoring several bills to protect victims of domestic violence including lengthening orders of protection for victims in Family Court and protecting victims of domestic violence against aggravated harassment.

"Before I worked in the Assembly, I spent many years representing children in family court proceedings. I saw the devastating impact domestic violence has on children who have witnessed first hand the victimization of a family member. Sadly, these children carry these scars into adulthood," said Assembly Member Adam Bradley. "We must galvanize to make the public aware of the prevalence of this crime," he stated.

Assembly Member George Latimer told the group that "each one of us has a responsibility to reach out to victims and respond to incidences of abuse when we hear that someone is being harmed. Men, more frequently the abusers, are especially important in voicing their outrage because they know that they are physically stronger; they have the ability to inflict great pain and sometimes fatal injuries against those who are physically weaker, women and children. We all must speak out against this predatory act."

"'Walk With Me' is one way to mobilize future generations to get involved and create a movement against domestic violence while simultaneously letting people know that they are not alone and have a right to be safe," stated Heather Storer, My Sisters' Place Domestic Violence Education and Prevention Coordinator of SAFER (Students Advocating for Equality in Relationships), whose students attended the walk. "Every person has a role to play, even if it is simply reaching out to someone and letting them know help is available. This walk was an important public statement about how we have to work together to change a culture of tolerance for violence in the home and to make clear that no victim should ever feel alone."