YWCA aims to shine light on domestic violence

One week without violence.

One week without the gunshots that wake some Lynchburg residents up at night. One week without an emergency room visit for a person hurt by the hands of someone they love. One week without shootings, stabbings or beatings.

Those are the aspirations for this week — the YWCA’s 13th annual Week Without Violence. The public awareness campaign is designed to shed light on the problems that violence, particularly domestic violence, creates in a community.

The challenge is for all Americans to spend seven days without “committing, condoning or contributing to violence,” according to the organization’s proclamation.

“Violence in any form undermines everyone’s quality of life,” said Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Doucette. “It destroys lives. It destroys families. It destroys communities.”

Doucette said the culture of domestic violence plays a role in other types of violent crimes in the city.

More than 1,000 domestic violence incidents are reported in Lynchburg each year — and that’s only a fraction of the actual incidents, since many are afraid to report the violence for fear of retribution or social stigma. Out of those cases, the Commonwealth Attorney’s office opened some 620 files. For these crimes there is a conviction rate of only 52 percent, compared to 90 percent for other felonies.

“It’s difficult to break the cycle of violence,” Doucette said. “When children witness violence in the home, they have to be impacted. It harms the family, the neighborhood and the community. To address violence we have to address domestic violence.”

Standing in the lobby of the YWCA building on Church Street are metal silhouettes of two women, both killed by their husbands, serving as a visual reminder of the cost of violence. Their stories are written on their chests:

Sadie Trent, Farmville, Va. Murdered June 25, 1998. Age: 64. “Sadie was shot several times. She died on the bedroom floor …”

Susan “Suzi” Brockert Varner, Farmville, Va. Murdered July 5, 2000. Age: 40. “… She was brutally murdered in her home by her ex-husband. The man then drove to the home of Suzi’s mother and murdered her as well …”

Domestic violence happens to people of all economic, ethnic, racial and age groups. One in three women will become a victim of domestic violence during her lifetime, according to statistics provided by the YWCA. Women are more often victims of domestic violence than they are victims of burglary, muggings and other physical crimes combined.

Linda Ellis-Williams, YWCA’s shelter director, said the entire community must step up to prevent domestic violence. Even with the special prosecution team for domestic violence cases and police officers who specialize in investigating the crime, more can be done.
“It would be wonderful to work ourselves out of business,” Ellis-Williams said.

Community collaboration is the key, Ellis-Williams said.

“If we could see a week without violence, it would be a great first step,” Doucette said.

If you’re going The YWCA is holding a Web seminar this week that will deal with economic abuse and its role in domestic violence. The seminar, held from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, will discuss economic power and control and ways for women to confront and overcome it.

For more information about the Week Without Violence or to register, visit http://www.ywca.org.