Twenty people every minute: that’s the national average of just how frequently men and women are physically abused by an intimate partner in the US.
Locals aren’t staying silent. They’re supporting one another and speaking out against domestic violence.
Featured Speaker, Miriam Nava, shares with the crowd “I maintained the silence for many years and I thought no one knew, but the truth was–everyone knew.”
“Silence is Violence” is the message of the demonstration. Locals came together on the campus of Alabama A&M, for a day of healing, truth and raising awareness.
Asha Kiran is a local non-profit that helps people of all backgrounds, delivering services in over 49 languages and catering to those who’ve been affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, depression and much more.
We spoke to Erin Bortel, the Executive Director AshaKiran. She says, “Violence exists in many ways. We have emotional violence. We have physical abuse, certainly. There’s financial control–that can be another form of domestic violence.”
Today is just one link in the statewide effort called the “Human Chain Event”, organized by AshaKiran, connecting people across Alabama as they hold to one another and recite a pledge to bring an end to domestic violence.
Domestic violence can affect every demographic and every community….but participants felt it was especially impactful to have this demonstration on a college campus. According to a study done by the US Department of Justice, college-age women are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.
Jadyn Steave is a Junior at AAMU, she tells us that it’s important to talk about this issue with people her age so the violence doesn’t remain in the shadows. She says, “So many people on campus, so many people at colleges around us are facing these same issues… We need to stop. We need to help. We need to do everything that we can to change the future.”
Mark Moore spoke at the event to raise awareness of domestic violence, and sexual abuse against the LGBTQ community.
Moore tells us, “Transgender women of color are the most attacked group in out community. The ones being beaten and killed the most. We all have to make an effort to educate ourselves… To be guardians for each other so that we can protect one another.”
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, there is help available:
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
AshaKiran (Madison county): 256-509-1882
Crisis Services of North Alabama (Limestone, Madison, Jackson, Morgan counties): 256-716-1000
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