Douglas to hold domestic violence awareness vigil By Bruce Whetten

A candlelight vigil to honor those affected by domestic violence will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. in front of the Douglas Police Department. Bruce Whetten Herald/Review

This article was published in the Douglas Dispatch on October 19^th, 2022

Douglas Dispatch

Written by Bruce Whetten

bruce.whetten@myhearldreview.com

DOUGLAS — A domestic violence awareness vigil will take place Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. in front of the Douglas Police Department to honor both victims and survivors of domestic violence.

October is recognized annually as National Violence Awareness Month.

Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. (CCHCI) recently joined with tens of thousands of organizations around the world in a month-long heightened observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness.

According to information posted on the CCHCI website October was first declared as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 1989, and since then, people from all over the world use this time to acknowledge domestic violence survivors and be a voice for its victims.

“This year’s theme, #Every1KnowsSome1 highlights how common domestic violence is and that it is more than physical violence,” the website states. “Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional abuse.

“Across the United States, more than 20,000 domestic violence calls are placed to national hotlines every day. In Cochise County, Chiricahua is among the first referrals from that hotline. In the last year, Chiricahua directly served 128 survivors of domestic violence by providing assistance with housing, utilities, legal aid, mental health services, food, safety plans, clothing, and transportation. As we observe National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Chiricahua is announcing an expansion in our Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program to include prevention education, focusing on high school students to educate youth and break the cycle of abuse.”

According to the Federal Office of Women’s Health, boys who witness domestic violence are ten times more likely to abuse their female partners as adults compared to boys without that exposure. Similarly, girls who are exposed to domestic violence are more than six times as likely to be sexually abused.

Children who witness or are victims of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse are at higher risk for health problems including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and have mental health effects, such as depression, anxiety, and poor self-esteem.

Officials for Chiricahua have announced they will be expanding their Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program by offering prevention education, focusing on school-aged students to educate and break the cycle of abuse.

“Through existing relationships, Chiricahua will partner with local school districts to facilitate training in the classroom to bring awareness of domestic violence and promote healthy, safe relationships,” the website reads. “The classroom curriculum will include Self Care: Exercise, Eating Healthy, Sleep, Self- Reflection, Emotions, Positive Affirmations, Boundaries, and Coping Mechanisms, Safe and Healthy Relationships: Compromise, Friendship, Respect, Communication, and Boundaries, and helping a person in an abusive relationship. Staff advocates will participate in educational outreach, address domestic violence and sexual assault concerns in middle and high schools through a prevention lens, and assist Chiricahua providers in identifying patients who are struggling with domestic violence or sexual assault.”

Additionally, throughout October, Chiricahua will join allies from across the globe to adorn themselves in the color purple — from T-shirts and ribbons to nail polish and hair color.

The color purple is a symbol of peace, courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending violence and Chiricahua buildings and our logo will all observe this practice.

“We know how common domestic violence is across the country – and even right here in our own community,” said Rosie Mendoza Chapa, Chiricahua’s Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Program Supervisor on the website, “…with our new commitment, Chiricahua wants to stop the cycle of violence. Working with young people to educate them on healthy relationships is a step in the right direction.”