GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- An annual event to honor people who have lost their lives to intimate partner violence comes up Oct. 7 in downtown Grand Rapids.
The Domestic Violence Awareness Month Candlelight Vigil will get underway at 7 p.m. at the Blue Bridge along the Louis Campau Promenade. The vigil is being hosted by the Kent County Domestic Violence Action Network (DVAN).
The program gets underway at 7 p.m.
An art installation on the bridge will pay tribute to Michigan residents who have lost their lives to domestic violence in the past year. It will be set up from Oct. 7 through Oct. 11. People will begin gathering at the bridge at 6:30 p.m. to view the art installation.
Here is more information from a DVAN news release:
“Domestic Violence affects our entire community. More importantly, it dims the light of victims, leaving a dark place in the hearts of those who mourn people we’ve lost to violence that could have been prevented. The Candlelight Vigil is our way of shining a light on the problem, honoring the light and lives of those we’ve lost, and lighting a path toward ending domestic violence in our community,” said Charisse Mitchelle, CEO of the YWCA West Central Michigan.
During the vigil, the names of those that have lost their lives to domestic violence in Michigan the previous year will be read. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime.
“The Kent County Domestic Violence Action Network (DVAN) exists to partner across our community to increase safety and support to victims of domestic violence and increase accountability of those who harm them,” said Cheri Williams, Executive Director of DVAN. “We grieve with the families and friends of those whose lives were tragically lost in the past year, and we use this as fuel to bring positive change to our community.”
The Kent County Domestic Violence Action Network is a multi-disciplinary team of local professionals and survivors of domestic violence. With representation from multiple local law enforcement agencies, the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office, courts, advocacy organizations, and survivors from our community, DVAN works towards increasing safety and support for survivors and accountability for offenders. This past July DVAN launched a Domestic Violence Specialty Court in Kent County. DVAN also coordinates a High-Lethality team of stakeholders seeking active solutions to end domestic violence-related homicides and near fatal incidents in Kent County.
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