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YWCA Candlelight Vigil for Domestic Violence Victims

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“Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault and other abusive behavior as part of a systemic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner to another,” said Suzanne Adams, Director of Domestic Abuse Services.

“Our YWCA observes October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month beginning this evening with a vigil,” said President and CEO Adrianne Singer.

The candle light vigil was held to mourn and celebrate victims of domestic violence.

A rose was placed in a vase for each person that lost his or her life to domestic violence in CT over the past year.

“One in four women experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime. One in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year,” said Adams.

Greenwich middle school teacher Barbara Bartlett was given the Purple Ribbon Award for her work educating children about domestic violence. She thanks the women at the YWCA for helping her with this mission.

“I stand here, not on my own, but as a result of many years of collaboration with these women,” said Bartlett.

The YWCA is the sole provider of domestic violence services in town. There are two 24 hour hotlines an all services are free.

“Last year, we answered between 16 and 21 calls on the hotline everyday, counseled over 2400 individuals,” said Singer.

“One in three American children will witness violence between his or her parents. Intimate partner violence accounts for 15 percent of all violent crime in the U.S. More women are treated in emergency rooms for battering injures than for muggings, rapes, and auto accidents combined. We still have a lot of work to do,” said Meredith Gold, Manager of Outreach, Prevention, and Education.

The YWCA will be holding many events throughout October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For a full list of those events, and information on domestic violence services provided by the YWCA, visit www.ywcagreenwich.org.

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