Domestic violence candlelight event scheduled

IRONWOOD — In recognition of October being National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, officials at Domestic Violence Escape are planning a candlelight event for Friday evening at Depot Park in Ironwood.

“Join us in this special event as we come together in honor of victims and survivors, both past and present, to stand up against violence,” said a DOVE press release.

The event is scheduled from 7 p.m. at the pavilion in Depot Park. DOVE officials are asking people to wear purple — a color designated to help bring awareness to domestic violence.

DOVE assistant director Pamela Niemi said they plan to have a moment of silence for fallen victims of domestic violence. They also plan to share some stories.

“We’re going to give a success story and a homicide story — a little reading to that people understand what the purpose of this is and the impact that it has,” she said.

DOVE serves victims in both Gogebic and Iron counties, including children and adults, male and female, victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as post-secondary victims — or those, perhaps children, who are witnessing domestic violence between parents, or a grandparent who witnesses violence against their grandchildren, according to Niemi.

In the past 12 months, DOVE has provided 1,310 nights of housing in the shelter and more than “5,000 units of individual counseling — one-on-one supportive counseling, according to Niemi, and nearly 400 crisis calls.

She said it’s important to help victims get personal protection orders, support them through the criminal justice process, help them safely plan and look for those red flags in relationships — empowering victims to be able to get out of these relationships when they do get violent.

“We don’t just provide services to victims that are physically assaulted, but also emotionally, and sexual assaults,” Niemi said. “Anybody that’s a victim of abuse, we provide services to.”

The incidence of domestic violence cases have risen in the area, said Niemi, drawing a parallel to the rise in drug and other criminal behaviors, including human trafficking, in the area.

She said DOVE collaborates with other agencies including the law enforcement, county prosectors and court officials, as well as state department of human services and child protective services personnel.

—Larry Holcombe