In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, the Democratic Women of Tioga County will hold their second annual Little Black Dress for Hope event at Tioga Downs Casino in Nichols on Friday, Oct. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. This year’s event is co-sponsored by the Democratic Women of the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes, and like last year, all proceeds go directly to A New Hope Center (ANHC) to support their efforts to end domestic violence in our community.
The evening will begin with a cash bar at 6 p.m., followed by a buffet dinner and live music performed by String of Pearls until 9 p.m.
Tickets are $40 each and are available at the Democratic Women of Tioga County website (www.democraticwomenoftiogacounty.com/) or the Little Black Dress for Hope Facebook page (www.facebook.com/LBDTiogaNY).
For more information, call (607) 765-5209 or email democraticwomenoftiogacounty@gmail.com.
The statistics on intimate partner violence are staggering. According to the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, at least one-third of female murder victims in the United States, age twelve and over, are killed by intimate partners. That makes intimate partner violence the leading cause of female homicide in the United States.
In 2009 alone, 1,818 women were killed by men in single victim / single offender incidents. Intimate partners commit 63 percent of these murders. Because ex-partners are not included in this statistic, the real number is likely to be even higher.
Those able to escape with their lives are all too often faced with uncertain futures that include huge medical expenses, a frantic search for suitable employment, a lack of workable childcare options, and even homelessness. A full 25 percent of homeless families are homeless because of domestic violence.
To survive and flourish, these women and men need a network of support. In fact, adequate support is the single most important factor in getting domestic violence victims out of their difficult and dangerous situations and into the peaceful productive lives they deserve. The fact that it takes an average of seven attempts for a domestic violence victim to get out permanently exemplifies just how difficult it can be.
For Tioga County residents, ANHC in Owego offers the full range of services to support domestic violence survivors through their journey out. For those with emergency needs, crisis intervention services include a 24-hour hotline and women’s shelter.
Ongoing support includes help finding suitable housing, counseling, transportation services, advocacy and accompaniment to appointments and court appearances, and anything else a client needs to get back on solid footing.
Founded by Rose Garrity in 1986, ANHC has provided these services to over 16,500 families in the last 29 years.
Staffed by 13 full time employees, and assisted by 78 volunteers, the Center served 1,065 individuals including 35 families housed in the shelter in 2014 alone.
To learn more about ANHC, call (607) 687-6866.
