HOULTON, Maine — While great strides have been made to combat domestic violence, there is still a long way to go.
That was the reoccurring sentiment during the second annual “Talk it Up Houlton” event held in Monument Park Monday evening. A small crowd of about 20 individuals gathered for the service.
Leslie Gervais of the Hope and Justice Project in Houlton welcomed those in attendance and pointed out a number of storefronts have created displays in the area. Purple ribbons can be found in Market Square in downtown Houlton and wooden markers displaying the names of victims are located at the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office on Military Street and the Maine State Police barracks on U.S. Route 1 to further raise awareness for the cause.
Barbara Theriault, mother of the late Amy Theriault of St. Francis, who was killed by her ex-boyfriend on May 31, 2014, was the featured guest speaker for the ceremony.
“I am not a public speaker, but the circumstances in which I now live have brought my life into the limelight,” Theriault said. “The stillness of my world was shattered by a phone call. My beautiful daughter, who was only 31, was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend. There are no words to describe the experience of losing someone you love more than life itself.”
She stated Maine was ranked ninth in the nation for women killed by abusive men and encouraged those in attendance to speak out and offer support if they, or someone they know, is a victim.
“Together we can make a difference and lower that statistic,” she said.
Lt. Brian Harris, commander of Troop F of the Maine State Police in Houlton, urged those in attendance to “speak up and speak out” against domestic violence.
“For the victims, speak up,” he said. “We are here to help you. There are resources we can provide. We care about your safety, your family’s safety and we want to help. For those who are not victims, we encourage you to speak out. Don’t sit idly by if you know someone who is going through a domestic violence situation.”
Harris said he pondered if police were making any headway in the effort to combat domestic violence.
“If you asked me today, compared to where we have been, ‘are we winning this battle?’, winning is not what I would say as long as there are candles lit and ribbons on our lawn,” he said. “Are we making a difference? Yes, but we need your help.”
Sheriff Darrell Crandall of the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office said there was no magic cure to stop domestic violence. Instead it involves careful consideration of meeting the needs of those who require their services.
“I am humbled when asked to speak at these events,” Crandall said. “It causes me to take the time and look back over the previous year at what we have accomplished and what we have not. As we intervene as law enforcement, frankly on a daily basis, and have success in sheltering victims and doing our part to hold offenders accountable, it feels good. For that day, we have helped prevent a tragedy.”
Crandall said unfortunately, those victories are short-lived as the same individuals they protect one day are back under abusive scenarios.
“So much great work has been done in the areas of education, intervention, enforcement, risk assessment and prosecution and advocacy, yet it is still not enough,” he said. “We don’t have to look far tonight to see family members who have been devastated by our inability to protect everyone all the time.”
According to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence’s website, “Domestic violence is best understood as a pattern of abusive behaviors–including physical, sexual, and psychological attacks as well as economic coercion–used by one intimate partner against another (adult or adolescent) to gain, maintain, or regain power and control in the relationship. Batterers use of a range of tactics to frighten, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, often injure, and sometimes kill a current or former intimate partner.”
Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) evolved from the “Day of Unity” held in October 1981 and conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The intent was to connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became an entire week devoted to a range of activities conducted at the local, state, and national level.
The activities conducted were as varied and diverse as the program sponsors but had common themes: mourning those who have died because of domestic violence; celebrating those who have survived; and connecting those who work to end violence.
A candlelight vigil also took place in remembrance of the domestic violence victims who have been killed in Maine over the past year.
In addition, earlier in the day, Hope and Justice Project hosted a reading and craft activity at the Houlton Cary Library After-School Program. Free purple T-shirts were made available to all participants. Purple is the awareness color for domestic violence.
Hope and Justice Project staff members work with anyone who has experienced or been affected by abuse or violence in Aroostook County. For more information, visit their website at www.hopeandjusticeproject.org or email them at info@hopeandjusticeproject.org. To speak with one of their advocates, call the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-439-2323. Services are free and confidential.
