We recently held a vigil in support of victims and survivors of domestic violence.  The event was really nice.  There were musicians that sang great music and poets that read their own poems on domestic violence.  Both the music and poems were really beautiful but while these people were performing, there was a cymbal banging every 10 seconds.  The crowd looked around in annoyance at the noise interrupting their opportunity to listen to the performers.  This went on for 45 minutes.  It really was annoying; it got some people angered.  Eventually I believe some people drowned it out and were able to just focus on the performers.  Toward the end of the event, I spoke to the audience to explain why the cymbal was going off.  Every 10 seconds a person is physically harmed by an intimate partner.  The cymbal went off every 10 seconds, how annoying!  But that was what we wanted.  We want the fact that domestic violence happens so often to be annoying.

Can you imagine trying to enjoy a song but there is that loud instrument that does not belong in the song that keeps going off.   How about while you watch TV? Or enjoy watching your child play but this scary noise keeps banging from a distance?  Domestic violence is not a topic that many people want to speak of or think about or believe that it is even happening in their neighborhood.  The topic is uncomfortable. It is not pleasant to think about but it IS happening in your neighborhood.  Every 10 seconds is a lot. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of physical violence.  Domestic violence occurring this frequently, even at all, should be extremely annoying. 

I hope those people in attendance at our event will remember that darned cymbal and think about victims and what they are going through.  I hope you that are reading this right now can imagine a cymbal going off and annoying you so that you remember those victims that are currently suffering and those that have lost their battle at the hand of their abuser.  Please help us take a stand against domestic violence. Remember to wear purple on October 22^nd and tag Safe Harbor Aberdeen.

– Gina Karst, Executive Director