Domestic Violence Awareness Month Vigil and Silent March
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Everywoman's Center and other UMass groups are organizing
UMass students, staff and faculty to attend a vigil at the Student Union.
After hearing speakers, a prayer, and statistics about domestic violence, vigil attendees will walk around the UMass campus in silence.The silence will be punctuated by a chime ringing every twelve seconds - each chime represents a woman being physically assaulted in the United States by the man who has promised to love her.
The silence will be further broken as the Walk comes to each Silent Witness - life-sized red silhouettes of domestic murder victims in Massachusetts. These Witnesses have been placed all around campus. When the Walk comes to each Witness,
a volunteer will read the story of the Witness, then pick them up and carry them to the next Witness.
The walk will end back at the Student Union Cape Cod Lounge. Each Silent Witness will be placed next to one covered Silent
Witness - Karen Trudeau's. Karen Trudeau was killed by her husband, Henry Trudeau, in Blanford on May 31, 2002.
Trudeau's brother-in-law, Phil Barry, will unveil and dedicate this Silent Witness to Karen, and will speak to the crowd about Karen. Mr. Barry will be joined by survivors of domestic abuse and community leaders, who will pledge to work for a day when there is no need for these vigils.
If anyone is being controlled in their relationship, help is available. The Everywoman's Center 24-hour free and confidential hotline is (413) 545-0800 (TTY/Voice).