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Stratford Hosting Vigil Tonight To Pull Back Curtain On Domestic Violence

STRATFORD, Conn. – The community is invited to gather Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 6 p.m. at Stratford Town Hall for a vigil to mark the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

The Center for Family Justice will hold a vigil, like this one held last year, for Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Stratford on Tuesday.

The Center for Family Justice will hold a vigil, like this one held last year, for Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Stratford on Tuesday.

Photo Credit: File

The event is held by the Bridgeport-based Center for Family Justice, in cooperation with Stratford community leaders. It will "honor those who have been impacted by intimate partner violence, raise awareness and inspire hope that the cycle of violence can be broken," the CFJ said in a statement. 

"The vigil will also remind local residents that domestic violence -- which national statistics suggest impacts one out of three women in their lifetime —is a problem in every demographic and community CFJ serves."

The vigil will include a solemn reading of the names of the 16 people who lost their lives to domestic violence in Connecticut in 2016.

CFJ President & CEO Debra A. Greenwood will be joined by town officials, including Police Chief Joseph McNeil, and a local survivor of domestic violence will talk about her experiences.

“These vigils are solemn, but we also intend for them to be incredibly hopeful and inspiring,” said Greenwood. “We believe that whenever communities comes together to share their commitment to ending the cycles of domestic violence and abuse, real and positive change can and does happen.”

The vigils also allow victims to know that at CFJ there is a safe place, close to home, where they can receive free and comprehensive services, including free counseling and emergency shelter. “Every year, I hear a story at a vigil from someone in attendance who feels compelled to come forward with their experiences with domestic violence because of the support they feel at our vigils,” Greenwood said. “That tells me how important it us for us to gather together to hold these events.”

In addition to the Stratford vigil, the Center for Family Justice will also hold vigils at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, at the Easton Community Center gazebo and at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at Fairfield’s Sherman Green.

These vigils are appropriate for all ages and are open to the public.

The Center for Family Justice Inc. offers domestic, sexual and child abuse services in its headquarters in Bridgeport. It serves Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull. For more information, visit www.CenterForFamilyJustice.org.

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