Taking a stand against domestic violence

Domestic violence awareness month might have ended last month, but some members of the Kingsbridge-Riverdale community are not ready to put their purple ribbons away any time soon. 

“It’s an evolutionary conversation,” said Frances Sadler, clerk of the vestry at the Church of the Mediator on West 231st, which is hosting a conference on domestic violence on Saturday. “We want to keep the dialogue open. We want to make our community a welcoming place for survivors and a place for people to reveal that they’re in trouble.”

The event, scheduled to take place on Nov. 8, features speakers from the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence and domestic violence survivors from support groups like Voices of Women (VOW). The event aims to educate local residents and institutions about the resources available in the borough for victims of domestic violence. 

Redefining support

According to Ms. Sadler, who leads a local knitting group that makes comfort scarves for domestic violence victims, people tend to view churches as safe havens, which makes it easier to initiate discussions about sensitive social topics like domestic violence. Local faith-led groups like the NYC Clergy Roundtable has also kicked off similar events with the church as a guiding light. 

The challenge is eradicating the stigma and shame associated with domestic violence so that more women can come forward, she said.

“There’s still an idea that what’s happening between two people is their business,” explained Kim Kavern, director of the Bronx Family Court Program for Safe Horizon, a leading victim services agency. “If you feel that someone’s in danger, you can call the police, but I think that when we stay silent in the face of domestic violence, we’re encouraging victims to stay silent.”