The purple lights currently illuminating the trees by the clock tower have a specific purpose — shining a light on the issue of domestic violence and spreading the message of awareness and prevention during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
While domestic violence is a serious problem year-round, October is set aside as a month to focus on and address the issue more specifically. Every year, YWCA of Sweetwater County uses the month to share information and host activities to bring more awareness to the community.
YWCA prepared for the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a ribbon cutting and tree lighting event in Green River on Sept. 28. The purple lights — purple being the color of domestic violence awareness — were put up, YWCA representatives spoke about the importance of awareness, a ribbon was cut to mark the beginning of the month, and free goodies including cupcakes and hot chocolate were shared.
Lighting the trees around the clock tower and hosting the ribbon cutting was the YWCA’s way to begin reaching out and establishing more of a presence in Green River. Kayla Mannikko, the YWCA’s development director, explained that the organization has done proclamations recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Green River in the past, but not held other activities. However, since the YWCA helps clients throughout Sweetwater County, Mannikko wants the organization to be more involved in Green River, and then to continue to expand, eventually reaching other towns like Granger as well.
“We just want people to know that we exist, we’re here for services, we’re here to help survivors and victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking and elder abuse,” Taneesa Congdon, the program director of the Center for Families and Children, said during the ribbon cutting.
Congdon and Mannikko both expressed their gratitude to everyone in Green River who helped with the event.
The Green River Fire Department used its equipment to decorate the big pine tree with purple lights, and volunteers from the Green River Police Department, the Green River Chamber of Commerce and other groups helped decorate with more lights and put the event together.
“The community of Green River was so helpful,” Mannikko said.
The event at the clock tower was the first of several events the YWCA has planned for October. A similar event took place in Rock Springs Sept. 29, and this week proclamations during the County Commission meeting and both Green River and Rock Springs City Council meetings recognized October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The proclamations “call upon our citizens to stand together against domestic violence, offer support and understanding to survivors, and participate in domestic violence awareness activities.”
The main awareness activity the YWCA hosts annually in October is the Silent Witness Initiative ceremony and vigil, which will be held at 10 a.m. at Western Wyoming Community College on Saturday.
“This year it’s a little bit different, and it’s exciting, because we were asked to host the state-wide Silent Witness Initiative,” Mannikko explained.
This ceremony is centered around an exhibit made up of life-size red silhouettes, each representing a person who died as a victim of domestic violence. In the past, the YWCA event has only featured silhouettes of victims from Sweetwater County. This year, Sweetwater County’s victims will still be represented, with two new silhouettes being added. The new additions will make a total of 12 silhouettes from Sweetwater County.
“However, on the night, if you come, you’ll see over 70 silhouettes,” Mannikko explained. Since Sweetwater County is hosting the state-wide initiative this year, the silhouettes will represent victims of domestic violence from across Wyoming.
Some silhouettes also represent untold numbers of people, such as the silhouette for missing and murdered indigenous women. This topic will be addressed by the keynote speaker at the event, Lynette Grey Bull.
The ceremony will also include other speakers, a silent witness pledge, introductions and retirements of silhouettes, and a procession where they silhouettes are carried by either volunteers or the family and friends of the victim.
“Some of the families bring personal items — hats, jewelry, things like that — to put on the silhouettes so it personalizes them,” Mannikko explained.
The YWCA also focuses on helping the families of victims during October. The night before the Silent Witness ceremony, a private dinner and vigil will be held for family and friends. Two other projects the YWCA is using to raise awareness this month are yard signs and the Clothesline Project.
Purple yard signs that say “stand against domestic violence” can be purchased for $10 to show solidarity, raise awareness and support the YWCA. Signs are available to buy in Green River at Red White Buffalo, or can be purchased from the YWCA office in Rock Springs.
The Clothesline Project will be on display in the White Mountain Mall in Rock Springs this month. It features t-shirts that were made by victims of domestic violence, with different colored shirts representing different types of violence. Some were made by survivors, while others were made by the friends and family of victims. Mannikko explained that all the t-shirts on display were made by local clients working with the YWCA, so they all represent domestic violence that occurred in Sweetwater County. Projects like the Silent Witness Initiative and the Clothesline Project are designed to shed light on domestic violence by representing the people who have experienced it in a tangible way that puts their numbers into perspective. This is important because many people who haven’t experienced domestic violence don’t understand how prevalent the problem is.
“It’s huge,” Mannikko said. “I don’t think a lot of people in the community really know that it’s an issue where they live.”
Sweetwater County and Green River are no exception, according to Mannikko. Domestic violence was an issue back in the 80s when the YWCA started offering its services in the community, and it remains an issue today. This makes Mannikko sometimes question whether they’ve made progress, but she believes they have. However, it’s an ongoing fight, which is why the YWCA continues to bring attention to the issue.
“You start with awareness, and then you do prevention,” Mannikko explained. The YWCA offers resources to help with both of these goals.
While October serves as a month to focus on awareness and prevention, it also provides a time for victims and their family members to heal, according to Mannikko. She explained that many people whose lives have been changed by domestic violence will use October as their one month to grieve and process their experiences.
“It doesn’t just end, if you’ve lost somebody or if you’re a survivor yourself,” Mannikko said.
She also noted that domestic violence is a problem year-round, and the YWCA does work to address it all the time, but Domestic Violence Awareness Month gives an opportunity to highlight it more specifically.
“This is where we really focus on it and give people the opportunity where we host things where they can come and cope and grieve or learn about it,” Mannikko said.
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