Marching to Raise Awareness Of Domestic Violence
S:US operates two domestic violence shelters in NYC offering respite and sanctuary for women and men who are victims of domestic violence and their innocent children who are also impacted. We provide counseling and somewhere they can feel safe and secure so they can rebuild their lives. Read below about a recent march we took part in to raise awareness about domestic violence.
Photo credit: S:US
Domestic violence, abuse, and/or sexual assault touches almost all of us, directly or indirectly. Not a day goes by that we don’t read a sad news story about a domestic abuse situation. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million people.
On Sept. 26, a few days prior to the start of Domestic Violence Awareness month, S:US staff and their friends (both men and women) joined nearly 400 New Yorkers in the 16th Annual Gladys Ricart & Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Walk / Brides’ March. The purpose of this annual march is to mourn the victims of domestic violence while raising awareness of the horrors of this antisocial criminal behavior.
Our female marchers wore all white, some in their wedding dresses, to honor Gladys Ricart who was shot and killed on her wedding day by her ex-boyfriend. Joining the women in publicly denouncing domestic violence were male marchers, many dressed in all black to represent mourning for those who have lost their lives to this crime.
Marchers walked for six miles, starting from Christ Church in Manhattan, each carrying a picture of someone whose life was taken as a result of domestic violence. The march took them into the South Bronx and then to Harlem ending at the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center where they placed the pictures at the podium in memory of their loved ones.
At various points during the march, elected officials, domestic violence survivors and family members of murder victims addressed the crowd about their experience with domestic violence. First Lady Chirlane McCray kicked off the event by addressing the marchers about the significance of the march and the importance of stamping out domestic violence. She said, “I join brave allies in the Brides March who take to the streets to say, ‘No more violence against women!’”
CONFIDENTIAL CONTACT INFO:
- If you, or someone you know, is a victim of domestic violence, call the Violence Intervention Program 1-800-664-5880
- Domestic violence is a learned behavior. If you need help to change that behavior call the NYC Domestic Violence Hotline on 1-800-799-7233 to learn about a program in your local area.