Agencies unite to raise awareness, end domestic violence

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In an effort to put an end to domestic violence, local agencies have amped up their awareness campaigns as Domestic Violence Awareness Month begins.

Terrebonne Parish will hold a candlelight vigil Oct. 14 at the Courthouse Square in downtown Houma, and Lafourche Parish will hold one Oct. 21 at The Lafourche Central Market in Raceland. Both vigils begin at 6 p.m.


Additionally, all residents are encouraged to wear purple throughout the month and decorate their homes or businesses in purple to show their support in the work to end domestic violence.

Lafourche has named October Paint the Parish Purple Month, and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Parents and Children Together (P.A.C.T.) Place has made strides to get the word out.

“We’ve sent out letters to businesses and through the chamber of commerce to alert businesses that it’s Domestic Violence Awareness month and to encourage them to put domestic violence slogans on their signage, electronic bulletin boards and what have you and encourage their employees to wear purple and post a picture on our Facebook page,” explained P.A.C.T. Place Coordinator Brandy Deroche. “We’re passing out purple ribbons. Every deputy in the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will be wearing a purple ribbon for the month of October, but of course it’s not limited to us and we’re encouraging people to change their Facebook profile pages to profile purple, and that way it can reach a national level.”


One in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime and about 15.5 million children are exposed to domestic violence every year.

If the numbers were anything above zero they’d still be inexcusable, but figures that high call for active efforts for changing an issue that’s tough to talk about and sometimes even tougher to understand.

“Domestic violence is a huge problem that is not talked about in our community,” Deroche said. “ … “People view it as a problem within the home, and there’s a stigma attached to it that, ‘Why doesn’t she just leave?’ We hear that all the time, and the question should be, ‘Why does he hit her? Why is he doing what he’s doing?’ Not, ‘Why doesn’t she leave?’”


Deroche, who is also the chairperson of Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Domestic Violence Awareness Month Committee, said that the number of women who report domestic violence to authorities isn’t even close to half.

“Because the victim is often in a position where they’re being controlled, they’re being manipulated, they’re being threatened, if you talk to anyone I’ll kill you, they’re not going to be real likely to seek help,” Deroche said.

Additionally, for a host of reasons such as fear, finances, housing and isolation, abused women often don’t leave their abuser, either, according to Deroche.


Organizations such as the P.A.C.T. Place as well as The Haven in Houma hope to use the moth of October to get the word out that abused women can receive help.

The Haven provides a 24-hour crisis line where abused women can speak to a trained advocate as well as an emergency shelter for individuals fleeing domestic violence. Apart from physically helping the victim through the painful process, The Haven also provides emotional support – all free of charge.

“We also help with the emotional safety by providing individual counseling in support group,” The Haven Training Coordinator Melissa Williams said. “We also assist with court escorting, because sometimes survivors will go to court with their temporary restraining orders. We go with them so they don’t have to go by themselves and have to face the abuser by themselves. We also assist with writing those protective orders if they qualify for it so if they are a victim of abuse and it’s been very recent then we can help them by filling out that particular paperwork and we also provide information and referrals to survivors.”


Williams called safety planning the most critical piece, and The Haven advocates are willing to meet abused women wherever they feel is a safe place to discuss this process.

“We always encourage a survivor if they can come in and talk to one of our advocates so they can really get a full picture for what the story is and what’s going on with her and try to help her,” Williams said.

The Haven also does a monthly lunch where it educates professionals on the proliferation of domestic violence as well as speeches to our area’s youth at various schools.


In 2013 alone, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office issued 640 protective orders and temporary restraining orders to victims of domestic violence who were seeking protection from their perpetrator, according to Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph.

Although numbers rise when women report domestic violence to authorities and therefore making it appear that a greater number of women are being abused, Deroche said it means anti-violence groups are making progress.

So for the next 31 days, wear purple, attend functions and spread the word. You may help save the life of someone suffering in silence.


“People should come out and support the candlelight vigils both in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes,” Williams implored. “I think when we can create a large enough number of individuals standing up against domestic violence, that sends a clear message to the community that we support you and if you are going through domestic violence there are people who will listen to you. They won’t push you away. They won’t judge you, but instead they will help you because many women still suffer in silence. And so just being a visible piece in a community, saying. ‘We do not tolerate community violence, we do not tolerate domestic violence in our community,’ I think that is an important message to send out to everybody.”

If you are a victim of domestic violence, you can reach The Haven’s main office line at (985) 871-0757 or its 24-hour crisis line at 1-800-915-0045.