Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets joined members of the YWCA of Greater Lafayette and Healthy Communities of Clinton County to proclaim October as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month.”
Sheets took to the Farmers Bank Performance Center Stage at Prairie Creek Park alongside speakers from the YWCA and officially declared October as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in Frankfort.
During the proclamation, Sheets stated that one in every three women and one in every seven men will encounter a form of domestic violence during their lifetime with approximately 15.5 million children being affected by domestic violence.
The proclamation read that “the crimes of domestic and sexual violence violate an individual’s privacy, dignity, security, and humanity due to the systematic use of physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, reproductive, financial control and/or abuse.”
Sheets continued to express during her proclamation that the “citizens of Frankfort have a moral obligation to work to prevent domestic violence, address its brutal and destructive effects, and make ending domestic violence a local priority.”
Sheets stated that the proclamation is given every year to continue raising awareness of domestic violence and spreading the information that the YWCA has to offer members of the community that may be affected.
“I think that it’s important that the city is there to support the YWCA in their efforts against domestic violence,” Sheets said. “We have many victims that are affected by this, and their families are affected. I think it’s important that our community is there for them to let them know that we care.”
The YWCA of Greater Lafayette’s Domestic Violence Intervention and Prevention Program has operated for 44 years and has sought to address needs through its advocacy services and emergency shelter. Within the past few years, Healthy Communities has welcomed two YWCA advocates into its offices to continue the work of the YWCA in Clinton County.
“One thing that I’m very thankful for is the YWCA of Greater Lafayette,” Sheets said. “They are here for victims of domestic violence, and that’s something that’s very important to our community. When people are in those types of situations, they need someone to reach out to. They need somebody that can help them and give them resources to help them get the help that they may need to get out of those situations.”
Sheets continued to encourage the community to support the YWCA throughout the year beyond October in an effort to address the prevalence of domestic violence in the region as well as the entire nation.
“It’s not only the City of Frankfort,” Sheets said. “It’s something we see statewide and nationwide. Domestic violence is a very sad situation for our community and also for our nation, and I want our people to know that we are here, and we have resources for them and whatever it is that they need. We are here to help them.”
The YWCA hosts two support groups in Clinton County throughout the month. The YWCA hosts a support group at 6 p.m. on Thursdays at the Healthy Communities office at 1234 Rossville Ave. in Frankfort. The YWCA also hosts a support group on the second Thursday of the month in Spanish at the Learning Network of Clinton County at 1111 S. Jackson St. in Frankfort.
“It’s really good to have the YWCA have offices in Clinton County, be present and be able to do more outreach in the community and at the schools about things like healthy relationships, the signs and symptoms of emotional abuse, verbal abuse and unhealthy relationships,” Lorra Archibald, Healthy Communities Executive Director, said. “Sometimes, people don’t know what those are. They don’t understand those gray areas and when those lines get crossed. To be able to educate especially our teenagers on what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like is very important.”
The YWCA has declared Oct. 19 as Purple Thursday in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Sheets encouraged the community to join the members of the city in supporting the cause by wearing purple on Oct. 19.
For more information, visit the YWCA of Greater Lafayette website, call 765-742-0075 or email [email protected].