With community support and solidarity, SBCS, a partner of the South Region Coalition of the San Diego Domestic Violence Council, held its annual candlelight vigil “Light Up the Night,” honoring those impacted by domestic violence at Rohr Park on Oct. 23.
“We are committed to being a lifeline for survivors of domestic violence,” said Kathie Lembo, president and CEO of SBCS. “This vigil is an opportunity to reflect on their courage and raise awareness of the resources available in our community. By standing together, we take steps toward creating a safer, more compassionate future for all.”
SBCS Department Director Valerie Brew said October being National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, locally SBCS recognizes it by doing regional awareness events.
“Every year, we do something in the South region of our county to raise awareness around domestic violence to our local community. The San Diego Domestic Violence Council is region-wide, and each region of the county does its own event that is customized and specialized for the community that we serve,” she said.
SBCS Domestic Violence Shelter & Supportive Services Program Director Analicia McKee-Chow said the event was hosted by the South Region Coalition of the SDDVC.
“At SBCS, we spearhead the coalition. Then we have Your Safe Place, Family Justice Center, San Ysidro Health, local law enforcement, Legal Aid Society of San Diego. All of us partners meet monthly and came up with this event. It is an opportunity for this community to learn about the different resources that are out there, so all these organizations hosted a table. We combined this with the concept of selfcare, so each had an activity at their table to allow community members to reflect, hold some space for the issue, and to walk away with some resources,” she said. “We also had yoga going on in the park, a live mural painting under the gazebo, and then our program started with some guest speakers.”
McKee-Chow said speakers at the event included Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy, San Diego Domestic Violence Council president, and two domestic violence survivor speakers.
McKee-Chow said there are several hotlines for people facing domestic violence depending on their needs.
“When you look at domestic violence, it depends on if someone is attempting to flee from their home into a shelter, or if they are wanting support for safety planning, or if they are wanting to completely disconnect and file for a divorce, or custody of their children. Depending on the type of services they are looking for, they can start with the Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233), but all the agencies that were at the event have different ways to call in for their services. Most require a screening, but they can offer safety planning, which is a lot of the focus in domestic violence, making sure that they and their children are safe,” she said.
Brew said it is important for people who are facing domestic violence in any form to find someone that they can trust.
To truly end domestic violence, it takes community members and organizations, she said.
