October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

One of the hardest working and most successful domestic violence task forces in Alabama is located right here in Marion County. The Marion County Domestic Violence Task Force was instrumental in making a local Safeplace Shelter possible. With the help of its community partners, this hardworking group of volunteers raises funds for Safeplace and to keep the shelter operating, as well as to assist local survivors and their children.
Information provided by the task force regarding “Break the Silence of Domestic Violence” includes the following statements:
Domestic violence is a very real issue here in Marion County. DV is recognized as a crime in Alabama and around the country because you should be safe in your home and feel safe in your closest relationships (dating, marriage, parent/child, etc.).
DV can look like a lot of things:
• Mental/Emotional - Harassment, threats, putting down, gaslighting and lying;
• Physical - Assault, choking, slapping, hitting, bruising, scratching and biting;
• Property - Trespassing, destruction or theft of property; and
• Stalking and criminal surveillance.
Domestic violence occurs all over Marion County DAILY and DV arrests are made in our community every week. However, for every survivor who comes forward, there are MANY who will never speak out. These victims are “in the cycle of abuse” or won’t some forward due to:
• Financial instability. Safety concerns. They have no where to go;
• They believe they can never leave due to mental/emotional abuse - being told their abuser loves them, they’re worthless or no one will ever want them;
• Their abuser has total control of them, and they have no means to leave; and
• Choose to “keep it in the family” or don’t come forward due to embarrassment, shame or worry.
YOU can help! You can help break the silence and end the stigma by talking about DV with your family, friends and loved ones. You can volunteer with Safeplace locally. You can join the Marion County Domestic Violence Task Force. And you can participate in “Purple Thursday” on Oct. 17 by wearing purple clothes or ribbons.
Many local schools, businesses and community organizations will help break the silence of DV and show support to survivors in our community by wearing purple.
The local task force notes that Purple Thursday is a day for our county to come together and raise awareness for DV and speak out against this issue that has plagued our community in the past in order to end the cycle of DV going forward.
Wear purple and tag the MCDVTF on social media at “MarionCo Dvtf” on Facebook and by using #PurpleThursMC.
There is also a local support group for survivors. Learn more about how to help or how to obtain help by contacting task force co-chair Kim Lolley at 205-921-6019. Safeplace also has two 24-hour hotlines at 256-767-6210 and 800-550-9215.