UMaine Machias events planned for Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October

The University of Maine at Machias, in partnership with the NextStep Domestic Violence Project, will be holding events throughout October that raise awareness about domestic violence.

Starting Oct. 1 and continuing through the month, the Clothesline Project will be displayed in Merrill Library. The project bears witness to people who have experienced different types of violence through a clothesline filled with shirts decorated by the survivor or someone who cares about them in ways that represent a particular person’s experience.

On Oct. 10, there will be a Domestic Violence Awareness Walk throughout town starting at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Performing Arts Center. The walk will end at the foot of College Hill at the Domestic Violence Memorial tree, where a candlelight vigil will follow. Participants can share their thoughts and reflect on their direct or indirect experiences with domestic violence, and are also invited to wear T-shirts or make signs in support of domestic violence awareness.  

Both events are open to the public. For more information about these events or to request reasonable accommodation, call 207.255.1343.

Next Step Domestic Violence Project will also be presenting multiple workshops to students and staff throughout the month to offer education around domestic violence, its impacts and what resources and supports are available. Similar workshops can be made available to the community.

“Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an important time to highlight the impacts of domestic violence on survivors and our communities, to honor those who have experienced it and to come together to make real change. Domestic violence affects every corner of society, and through raising awareness, supporting survivors and educating ourselves, we can help foster a culture where abuse is not accepted. It’s about creating a world where everyone can feel safe, secure and valued,” said Alli Williamson, the director of prevention and youth services at Next Step Domestic Violence Project.

The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) supported 12,000 survivors in 2023, half of which were children. With its 24-hour hotline receiving 11% more calls than in 2022, MCEDV advocates had contact with 85,565 with survivors in 2023. That averaged to 45 calls per weekday, 19 per weeknight and 31 per weekend. 

This year, 82% of victims identified as female , 6% identified as male. According to the organization 3% identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

The National Domestic Violence Hotline statistics show that a reported 29% of women and 10% of men experience domestic related violence from intimate partners, affecting more than 12 million people each year. Approximately 22.5% of trans women, 22.4% of non-binary women, and 19.2% of trans men reported sexual abuse to The Hotline in 2023, which is higher than the average of 14.2% of LGBTQ+ survivors.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to reach out for support, you can call the 24/7 NextStep Domestic Violence Project helpline at 1-800-315-5579 or find more information at /www.nextstepdvproject.org.