CASPER, Wyo. — The Self Help Center hosted its annual Candlelight Vigil for Domestic Violence Awareness at the Tate Pumphouse on Oct. 1. The somber event, led by the center’s executive director, Jennifer Dyer, was a remembrance of lives lost or deeply affected due to domestic abuse.
“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and each year the Self Help Center recognizes and remembers those lost to violence in our community,” Community Outreach and Events Coordinator Walt Doney stated. Doney further emphasized the event’s purpose, not as a celebration, but to send “a message of hope and support for those in need.”
In need of assistance or advocacy? The Self Help Center encourages those affected to reach out at 307-235-2814.
Four in 10 American women and nearly three in 10 American men are impacted by sexual abuse, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetimes, according to the White House proclamation of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Originating in October 1981 as a national “Day of Unity,” Domestic Violence Awareness Month is observed every October. Its goal is to unify advocates nationwide in the fight against domestic violence, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline website.
Throughout the month, communities and organizations nationwide engage the public, sharing resources, spotlighting survivor stories and raising awareness about the signs of abuse.
