ST. LOUIS — A purple crowd packed The Grove on Saturday morning to raise awareness for domestic violence.
“Our goal was to shatter the silence and kill the violence,” Dr. Marlowe Gaines, Executive Director of Diamond Diva Empowerment Foundation. “People are silent and complicit. What they do is give domestic violence levity and what it does is perpetuate itself because no one talks. Well, we’re done with that, we are talking. We are getting ready to make a point right now today."
Recently, Dr. Gaines has been lobbying city leaders for more resources, specifically to help more male victims. She’s hoping the rally and walk on Saturday will help get the point across about how serious activists are about fighting violence. She said leaders are listening and supporting the mission. Survivor and author Sabrina McField wrote “The Dance In My Shoes”. She hopes her words inspire others to speak up.
"They get courage to face their story, I hope they also get space to see their situation differently and redefine their story," McField said. "You don't understand the way you feel and why things are happening the way they are happening. It's just been a good journey writing this book, healing those sore spots.”
McField is a child victim and said her journey has empowered her to heal relationships with loved ones and herself.
If you need immediate help in a domestic violence situation call 211.
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