Day of Unity: Night of Remembrance

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — The ‘Day of Unity’ marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month across the nation.

Several anti-violence organizations organized two vigils to focus on the toll that domestic violence takes on our community.

Peninsula

A Day of Unity: A Celebration of Life was held Saturday at Peninsula Town Center. Transitions Family Violence Services, York/Poquoson Victim Witness Assistance Program and the Newport News Police Department’s Domestic Violence Team hosted an event to remember victims from Hampton, Newport News, Yorktown and Poquoson.

Tracey Parker, founder of the Friendship Lottery, has been speaking against violence after his mom Rosalee was killed by her estranged husband in 2017.

“My mother was not ready to leave,” Parker said. “I wasn’t ready for her — we wasn’t ready for her to leave. But we can’t dwell on the point that she is not physically here because we know that she dwells on the inside of us. We have to stay connected, keep fighting and keep persevering.”

Over the years, Parker and his siblings have shared their mother’s story and host events to raise awareness to stop domestic violence.

“Please don’t let this be a one-day week,” Parker said. “Don’t let this be a one-month. And this is going on every single day. So when October is over, November is here, but people are still in their households already feeling like they can’t go to anybody. They have kids that’s witnessing all of this stuff and they can’t go to school and say anything.”

Saadia White, a survivor of domestic violence and founder of ‘Off the Streets & Onto the Set,’ shared her story to empower others.

“We matter — your stories matter,” White said. “… Someone tried to silence me in telling my story, my story of abuse. As a survivor of domestic violence and child sexual abuse, I came a long way in my healing journey.”

White shares that, as a child, she witnessed violence in her home. And then, during adulthood, she was in an abusive relationship.

“I became a generational survivor, watching my mother be beaten and the abuser then turning on me,” White said. “When I was an adult, I didn’t realize that by not being in a relationship filled with physical violence, I felt I was safe … not knowing that I still entered into a relationship of abuse.”

Southside

A Day of Unity: Night of Remembrance is at 6:30 p.m. Monday inside Slover Library in Norfolk.

Chesapeake Mayor Rick West will share a proclamation recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month, on behalf of all Southside mayors. Det. Jennifer Baron, a key player in establishing the Norfolk Family Justice Center, is the keynote speaker, followed by Neisha Himes, a spoken word artist and survivor of domestic violence.

The candlelight vigil is a memorial for 19 people of all ages killed as a result of domestic assault.

“The biggest trend is just that there is never a downtime,” said Olivia Smithberger, HER Shelter executive director. “You know, there’s never just a time where the shelter is empty, or we don’t have a waiting list or we’re not taking calls. So the fact that it’s a constant, one-in-four women, one-in-seven men are experiencing this, … there’s just always a need.”

All are welcome to join this call to action to help survivors.

“We are always in need of people supporting our mission, whether that is donating to our Amazon wish list, donating money, volunteering, sharing our Facebook post [or] sharing how to reach out to services if you know somebody that is in need, really just awareness and sharing what is available,” Smithberger said.

10 On Your Side’s Kiahnna Patterson was invited to emcee the event for the second year in a row.

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During the month of October, 10 On Your Side’s Kiahnna Patterson will share local resources in the Break the Cycle series. On Wednesday mornings, watch the Hampton Roads Show to learn more about local shelters. Then at 4 and 6 p.m. Wednesday nights, view stories to raise awareness.