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Take back the night

Residents rally against domestic violence

October 28, 2009|By Rachel Parsons

T-shirts of every color of the rainbow did the talking for the thousands of domestic violence victims who never have their say. Some told of specific women, others just offered encouragement with words like "freedom" and "hope." Still others offered prayers, begging God they could become a bird and fly away.

The shirts, decorated by victims of domestic violence and sexual assault at Lexington's Chrysalis House, served as a reminder of the pain and suffering that come from domestic violence.

There was no shortage of reminders for participants in Tuesday's Take Back the Night rally at the Clark County Courthouse. Public officials, including Mayor Ed Burtner, Circuit Clerk Paula Joslin, District Judge Earl-Ray Neal and Clark County Attorney Brian Thomas were all on hand to offer support to victims and encourage them to take advantage of all the resources available to them locally.

"Take Back the Night … is to raise awareness about domestic violence and the impact that it has. … There is no excuse for domestic violence in any way, shape or form," said Thomas. "It's an unspeakable crime."

A 23-year-old single mother, identified only as "Teresa," tried to put her experience with domestic violence into words, often breaking down in tears as she talked about the effect her relationships had on her 8-year-old daughter.

"She said to me, 'Mommy, you let other people hit you, why can't I hit you?'"

When Teresa witnessed her abuser throw her daughter against a wall, she knew she had to seek help for the sake of her children.

On Nov. 11, 2007, Teresa walked away from her abuser for good, living in different shelters and trying to put her life back together.

"It (domestic violence) can happen at any age. I was young, and I was abused as a child. It's just a cycle that keeps on and on," she said.

Teresa first experienced domestic violence at the age of 12, and she recalled seeing her own mother suffer through abuse for years. For the sake of her own children, Teresa said, she knew she had to find a way out of that lifestyle.

She received a standing ovation for her words.

"That took more courage than any one of us have," Thomas said of Teresa's willingness to speak about her experiences in public.

"I can't express how hard it is being a young, single mom, but it's not worth being abused," Teresa said.

Contact Rachel Parsons at rparsons@winchestersun.com.

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