AUBURN — Community leaders, advocates and survivors gathered for a vigil Monday night in honor of those who have lost their lives due to domestic violence.

Safe Voices, the nonprofit organization holding the vigil and march, has been helping victims of abuse in Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties for the past 36 years.

Amanda Carlson, community educator for Androscoggin County for Safe Voices, said that in Maine, one in four women and one in seven men experience domestic violence.

Carlson said 50 percent of all homicides in Maine are domestic violence related.

“The weather is not our friend today,” Carlson said, explaining the group had to pare down the event due to the high winds and threat of rain. Despite the forecast, more than 30 people came out for the event.

As people gathered, volunteers handed out brochures and passed out purple wristbands. Safe Voices also held vigils Monday night in Norway, Rumford and Farmington.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month but the children playing in Festival Plaza decked out in purple tie-dyed shirts lightened the true meaning of the vigil.

Auburn police Chief Phillip Crowell was in attendance with Lewiston police Deputy Chief James Minkowski and officers from both departments.

Opening statements were made by guest speakers before candles were lit for a procession across the bridge to Veterans Memorial Park in Lewiston.

Officer Desiree Michaud of the Lewiston Police Department addressed the crowd, stressing awareness of domestic violence.

“It’s a big battle,” Michaud said, offering hope that each generation will make greater progress toward its eradication.

Bob Rowe, executive director of New Beginnings in Lewiston, said his organization sees a lot of the results of domestic violence.

“We have young people, some of whom have experienced domestic violence,” Rowe said, clarifying that young for his organization ranges from 12 to 30 years old.

Rowe said New Beginnings runs a drop-in center on Lisbon Street where Carlson from Safe Voices talks to youth and educates them about healthy relationships.

Despite high winds, some candles stayed lit along the procession. Some participants had to stop to periodically re-light their candles before moving on to the park, where survivors shared their stories.

Naomi Haley of Auburn spoke of Safe Voices shelter as “a place where I started to get my life back.”

She said, “When I arrived at the shelter there was nothing left, no hope, no respect for myself — I believed I was a failure.”

She referred to those at the shelter as her “angels” giving her strength and independence and the knowledge to help herself and others.

Ralph Poland of Auburn told a story of a girl he knew only as “Treasure” when he lived in Berwick.

According to Poland, Treasure worked at the Dunkin’ Donuts he visited on a regular basis in 2004 until she disappeared. After asking where she went, he was told that her boyfriend had murdered her.

The girl, Treasure Lee Genaw, was 17 years old, pregnant and weeks from graduating from Noble High School. Poland was wearing a button with her picture on it.

He encouraged everyone in the crowd to enter the Safe Voices phone number into their phones in case they find someone in need of it.

People may contact Safe Voices at 800-559-2927 or email info@safevoices.org.

dmcintire@sunjournal.com

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