October 1 marks the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and one group is hoping to spark conversations about dealing with violence in the home and how the pandemic has intensified it.
RELATIONSHIPS IS CRUCIAL FOR APERSON'S SAFETY...ANDIT CAN EVENMEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFEAND DEATH.CBS SIX'S CAROLINE COLEBURNSPOKE WITH COMMUNITYADVOCATES ABOUT THEIR PERSONALEXPERIENCES WITH DOMESTICVIOLENCE...AND HOW THEY'RESURROUNDING OTHER SURVIVORS WITHSUPPORT THIS WEEKEND.HI CAROLINE.RICHMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYSTHE CALLS FOR REPORTS OFDOMESTIC VIOLENC HEAVE RISENSINCE THE PANDEMIC.TOMORROW KICKS OF DOMESTICVIOLENCEW AARENESSMONTH, AND I SPOKE WITH TWORICHMOND WOMEN WHO ARE WORKINGTO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUTTHE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHYRELATIONSHIPS BECAUSE THEY KNOWTHE PAIN AN ABUSIVE ONE CANCSAUE."I FELT ALONE, I FELT LIKE IJUSTDIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO." LOOKINGAT HELEN PAYNE NOW, YOUWOULDN'T RECOGNIZE THE TRAUMASHE ENDURED FOR ADECADE."I AM A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTICVIOLENCE" THEYEAR-OLD WAS MARRIED ANDSUFFERED BOTH MENTAL ANDPHYSICAL AUSBE FROM FROM 19-89THROUGH 19-99."I WAS ASHAMED AND YOU KNOW, THERESOURCES WAS NOT OUTTHERE" BUT PAYNE WASEVENTUALLY GOTTHE COURAGE TO LEAVE."GOD GAVE ME STRENGTH.HE, HEWAS THERE WITH ME" NOW SHE'SWORKING TOENSURE NO ONE IN HER SITUATIONFEELS ALONE.SHE'S HOLDING A"STEPPING IN LOVE" MARCH SUNDAYATECHO LAKE PARK I GNLEN ALLEN."WE WILL BE HANGVI BRIDESMARCHING IN WHITE WDEDINGGOWNS.""THE PURPOSE OF THIS EVENT IS TOLET OUR COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WEUPSPORT THE VICTIMS OFDOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND WE STANDAGAINST IT"ONE OF THE SPEAKER'S AT SUNDAY'SEVENT..."THE WAY PEOPLE TALK TO YOU, THEWAY PEOPLE TREAT YOU IS REALLY,REALLY IMPORTANT." ...ISRICHMOND POLICEDEPARTMENT COMMUNITY CAREOFFICER CAROL ADAMS."UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, ILIVED 12 YEARS OF ESCALATINGVIOLENCE TO THE POINT WHERE MYFATHER DID TAKE MY MOTHER'S LIFEAND HE SHOT HER FIVE TIMES INDECEMBER THE 30TH OF 1980."THAT'S WHY ADAMS HAS SPENT HERCAREER WORKING TO TRY TO HELPSAVE THOSE IN UNHEALTHYRELATIONSHIPS..A ND THE PANDEMICHAS MADE HER JOB EVEN MOREDIFFCUILT.."THAT HAS PROMPTED MORECALLS FOR SERVICE THAN BEFORE,PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ISOLATEDAND QUARANTINED TO BE AT HOME.AND BY BEGIN AT HOME, THERE'S NOOUTLET, THERE'S NO GETTING AWAYWHERE THE PERPETRATOR MAYBE GOING TO WORK, OR THE VICTIMMAY BE GOING OFF TO WORK."BOTH ADAMS AND PAYNE ENCOURAGEPEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND CHILDRENARE VICTIMS TOO AND THEY WANTYOU TO NOT ONLYUNDERSTAND WHAT EXPOSURE TO THISASBUE CAN DO TO THEM.THEY EXPERIENCE THAT VICARIOUSTRAUMA WHILE BEING INSIDE THEIRHOUSEHOLD." BUT ALSO TO TEACHTHEM WHT AA HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPSHOULD LOOK LIKE."I WANT TO BE AN ADVOCATE TOHELPBRING HOPE INTO MCOMUNITY AND TOTHE VICTMIS AND TO THESURVIVORS."IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT'SLIVING IN AN UNHEALTHY ORDANGEROUS RELATIONSHIP, ADAMSAND PAYNE SAY DON'T BEAFRAID TO LET THEM KNOW YOUSUPPORT THEM AND ARE WILLING TOHELP..AND IF YOU ARE IN ANABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP,THERE'S A 24/7 REGIONALEMPOWERNET HOTLINE YOU CAN CALLTO TALK TO A LIVE TRAUMASPECIALIST..THAT NUMBER 804-612-6126.SUNDAY'S MARCHWILL RUN FROM 1 TO 5 P.M.WORKING FOR YOU IN GLEN ALLEN,CC, CBS 6 NEWS.
October 1 marks the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and one group is hoping to spark conversations about dealing with..