Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef held a press conference issuing a Proclamation saluting the month of October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month has been celebrated for the past 32 years throughout the nation. During the month of October, domestic violence programs honor the strength of survivors and those who work to end intimate partner violence by holding events that shine the light on an issue that affects 1 in 4 women in their lifetime.
Planned activities include Wear Purple Day on October 16th, where everyone is encouraged to wear purple, the color of the Domestic Violence Movement. Additionally, the Rockland County office building in New City, the Blue Hill Plaza building in Pearl River, the Center for Safety & Change, and other buildings will be lit with purple lights in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
This year, due to the proximity of the location of the Super Bowl in 2014, the STOP F.E.A.R. Coalition, which represents a coordinated community response to address and end intimate partner violence, will focus on domestic minor sex trafficking. Major sporting events like the upcoming Super Bowl, have proven to strongly attract sex trade industries, including domestic minor sex trafficking. Victims are on average 14 years of age and are often forced into compliance with violence, threats and drugs.
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A special training by the Polaris Project, the leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery, for first responders, hotel and motel staff and the general public entitled: “Human Trafficking and the Super Bowl: What We Need to Know in Rockland” will be held on October 30th at 6:30 pm at Good Samaritan Hospital.
The 16th Annual STOP F.E.A.R. conference, which will be held November 1st at 8:30 am at Rockland Community College. Continuing the theme of Human Trafficking and the Super Bowl, the training “Preparing for National Security Events: A Perspective on Human Trafficking for Investigators and Front Line Officers” is geared towards criminal justice professionals, and will feature Chris Bray from the Phoenix Police Department, an expert on child trafficking and Eric Pauley from the FBI”s “Innocence Lost Project”, an expert on investigating all matters involving sexual exploitation of children as keynote speakers.
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Additional Domestic Violence Awareness Month Events include:
October 24: Walk with me, a silent student-led procession at 12 pm at Rockland Community College, Rm. 3214
November 10: 34th Annual Harvest Auction, 5 pm, NY Country Club, New Hempstead, NY, $90 per person, Silent Auction with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres; life auction with dinner and dessert, RSVP for the Auction or to complete a journal ad visit www.centerforsafetyandchange.org.
For more information, please contact Nancy Donoghue at (845) 634-3391 at the Center for Safety & Change. The Center for Safety & Change is a non-profit; grass roots organization serving survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and all crime victims. Center for Safety & Change is located at 9 Johnsons Lane, New City, New York. The 24-hour hotline number is 845-634-3344.
