Family Violence Awareness Month promotes awareness, activism and action

Every minute, 24 people who you may know are physically abused, raped, or stalked, according to the Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence. Rape cases increasing more than a hundred percent from 103 to 219 from 2016 to 2020, according to Guam Police Department 2020 Uniform Crime Report.

And family violence still on the rise.

In times like these, it's the community who can make a change. Which is why you'll see many Guamanians around the island wearing purple to commemorate Family Violence Awareness Month.

1,226 reported family violence-related cases last year, according to GPD's Domestic Assault Response Team's annual statistics. It's an alarming increase from the 897 reports in 2017. But this solemn atmosphere is a reminder that the victims are not just numbers.

The community gathered recently for the Silent Witness Ceremony at Guam Museum in downtown in Hagatna. There, family members placing a lit candle, each light a symbol for the lives lost to family violence and sexual assault. The ceremony remembers their names and stories, and reminds us to do our part in ending domestic violence and sexual assault.

Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence executive director Cynthia Cabot is the Silent Witness Ceremony coordinator, and told KUAM News, "Community efforts are really important because we all provide the varied needs of individuals, of victims and survivors in the community. We have those providing legal assistance, who provide protective orders. We have those providing immediate shelter, temporary shelter. We have someone they can just talk to or call. We have advocates in the community in all aspects."

Community efforts like this ceremony also helping to bring awareness. Cabot added that the Guam Coalition has more outreach events planned for this month. "October 18, 19, and 20 we do have a conference coming up," she said. "And folks certainly can sign up for that. They can go to our website, guamcoalition.org, get more information. And of course, we’re always addressing domestic violence and sexual assault. And we have several trainers coming in, as well as local partners who are going to be presenting."

Presenting about enhancing advocate skills and community responses, which she says is important for supporting victims and survivors. Cabot also added that more supportive resources are needed.

"We need more resources, more people resources to help in this work," she continued. "Many of our agencies who provide services need support and assistance, so this is also one way we reach out to the community to say perhaps you would like to volunteer or work with one of the many agencies we have addressing domestic violence and sexual assault."

Which is why they’re hosting a community job fair on October 22. "Community becomes a place that we want to also foster safe, healthy violence-free environments so that people know where to go to, and one day hopefully we can end the violence," said Cabot.

You, too, can do your part in fostering a safe, healthy violence-free community by visiting guamcoalition.org and participating in the various outreach events hosted this month.