NORWICH – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In an ongoing effort to hamper the growing epidemic of domestic violence, Catholic Charities of Chenango County will hold its tenth annual “Celebration of Women” from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Norwich.
Each year, the Celebration of Women aims to enlighten, empower, and educate about the perils of domestic violence and how it can affect people’s lives. According to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice, there were a total 330 instances of domestic violence reported in Chenango County in 2012 (7 aggressive assaults; 299 simple assaults; 12 sex offenses; and 12 violations of protection orders). The City of Norwich Police Department alone reported 215 of those total cases.
The Celebration of Women event intends to address these challenges head on and give victims of domestic violence a place to turn to for help, said Karen Glasbergen, director of the Chenango County Catholic Charities Crime Victims Program.
“Domestic violence isn’t just about hitting and screaming. It’s emotional abuse, too,” said Glasbergen. “Domestic violence happens in every type of relationship: rich, poor, middle income, gay, straight - it can happen to anybody.”
The hardest part, she added, is educating the community about what domestic violence is and getting victims of domestic violence to come forward.
The goal of Celebration of Women is to heighten community awareness about the impact of domestic violence and make a difference by taking the steps needed to reduce the number of people who are in an unsafe relationship. Glasbergen said the evening is a great opportunity for victims to seek help.
Just as it has in previous years, the annual Celebration of Women will offer women in the area a chance to pamper themselves with free manicures, pedicures, massages and hair styling. In addition, they can enjoy musical performances from a number of local talents and shop with a variety of home based businesses and vendors. AIM Fitness will also be there to give self-defense demonstrations, and Zumba exercises take place throughout the night.
Guests will also have the opportunity to hear special speakers Jill Kraft and Christine Faber-Mosley tell their personal stories of how they endured a relationship with domestic violence and made the move from victim to survivor.
More importantly, said Glasbergen, the Celebration of Women event is a networking opportunity for victims of domestic violence to reach out to one another and become familiar with the helpful resources that are available in the area. Organizations attending include WIC, Chenango County Public Health, Quaranta Housing, Head Start, Chenango Health Network, Roots and Wings, NYSEG, Guernsey Memorial Library, Family Enrichment Network, Literacy Volunteers, and Leading Edge. There will also be supported housing services, Medicaid service coordinators and legal aid.
According to the Catholic Charities Crime Victims Program, one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime and more than 3 million children witness domestic violence in their homes each year. Women ages 20-24 are at greatest risk of becoming victims of domestic violence. And according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, domestic violence is the third leading cause of homelessness among families.
“This has always been a successful program to offer to victims of domestic violence,” explained Maggie O’Connor, senior advocate of the Crime Victims Program at Catholic Charities. “Domestic violence is something everyone should be aware of ... This was started as a way to help.”
For additional information or to reserve a table at no charge, contact Catholic Charities at 334-8244. A 24-hour hotline is available for victims of domestic violence at 336-1101.