WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — If you are driving down Market Street in Williamsport this month, you will probably see a lot of purple. It is all a part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
"We take the month of October to really pay honor to the victims of lives lost at the hands of domestic violence," said Brittany Fischer, the communications director at YWCA Northcentral. "Specifically those in this county. Any of the purple flags you might see coming downtown are a way to remember those families and the victims and those individuals."
Kevin Handley is a counselor with the Young Women's Christian Association in Williamsport and says domestic violence occurs nearly everywhere.
"One in seven individuals are affected by domestic violence, no matter where you go in this country," he stated. People don't understand the scope of what domestic violence is."
The organization wants folks to understand the seriousness of domestic violence. It can happen to anyone.
"I work with children and adults. A majority of my children are victims of their parents' abuse, either physical or mental. My other clients are females who have fled from their husbands. They have been hit and beaten or financially taken advantage of," Handley said.
The YWCA is displaying the names and faces of people killed in Lycoming County as a result of domestic violence. This table display is located in the organization's lobby.
"So, the seat at the table display is a way to remember the lives lost. We don't physically have them here with us any longer, but they will always have a place in our hearts, at our table," Fischer said.
The YWCA encourages anyone experiencing domestic violence to reach out.
"So, if you are fleeing from domestic violence, we have a shelter upstairs. We have the ability to relocate you or get you to a safe place," Handley said.
The YWCA in Williamsport will be hosting a candlelight vigil on Wednesday, October 18th, to remember the lives that have been lost due to domestic violence. That begins at 5:30 p.m.