The statistics are shocking: 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience violence from their intimate partners leading to severe injury, fearfulness and, many times, post-traumatic stress. To raise awareness of this problem, and let residents know there are people available to help them, the Crime Victims Center has partnered with Suffolk’s towns in a coordinated effort to get the word out.
Suffolk Supervisors, along with county Executive Steve Bellone, joined the center’s executive director, Laura Ahearn, a long-time crime victims advocate, in making a pledge to tackle an issue locally that affects about 10 million people nationwide each year. They committed to a campaign using their websites, Social Media, and other channels to distribute messages showing the scope of the intimate violence problem, recognizing the signs, the impact, and the resources available to help people who are affected.
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The many supporters and staff of the Crime Victims Center during a special press
conference announcing a commitment from Suffolk’s supervisors and the county executive to join a campaign to fight the problem Robert Chartuk
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The town leaders also committed to raising awareness with newsletters and weekly email blasts with links to services and literature. On October 20th, the involved towns will light buildings purple and encourage employees to wear the color in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“We are grateful to Suffolk’s supervisors and county Executive Bellone for committing to our efforts to stop domestic violence,” Ahearn said. “The more people who realize the scope of the problem, the signs, the damage done, the more they will seek out the resources that are here to help them.”
Making the pledge with Ahearn at a special press conference were supervisors Richard Schaffer of Babylon, Edward Romaine of Brookhaven, Edmund Smyth of Huntington, and Riverhead’s Yvette Aguiar. Other towns have committed, Ahearn said, but did not make the pledge event. “Brookhaven has one of the most robust efforts with various initiatives such as Dress for Success, resume writing, and support groups,” Ahearn noted.
Sharing her personal story at the event was “Maria,” who told of years of abuse at the hands of her husband. She and her children were finally able to break free and seek justice with the help of the Crime Victims Center. “The wonderful people here saved our lives,” she told the crowd at the Plumbers Local 200 Union hall in Ronkonkoma which hosted the event.
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Suffolk’s top officials join forces to fight domestic violence, from left, Babylon
Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Brookhaven’s Ed Romaine, Wendy Linsalta, executive director of LI Against Domestic Violence, Laura Ahearn, executive director of the Crime Victim’s Center, Riverhead Supervisor Yvette Aguiar, Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth, and state Senator Mario Mattera Robert Chartuk
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Help can be found at:
The Crime Victims Center office (631) 689-2672/hotline (631) 332-9234, www.CrimeVictimsCenter.org
Long Island Against Domestic Violence office (631) 666-8833, www.liadv.org
The Retreat office (631) 329-4398/Hotline (631) 329-2200, www.allagainstabuse.org
Brighter Tomorrows office (631) 395-1800, www.brightertomorrowsli.org
ECLI-VIBES office (631) 360-3730/Hotline (631) 360-3606, www.eclivibes.org