An Oct. 7 Government House press release, and another forwarded at 4 p.m. Thursday by Government House from the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council, indicated Take Back the Night marches were planned Thursday for St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John.
Alas, not one person showed up on St. John to honor the memory of those who died because of domestic violence. It was scheduled for 6 p.m. in Cruz Bay Park, also called Franklin Powell Park. A walk and a drive around Cruz Bay, as well as a perusal of people coming off the ferry, didn’t turn up any signs of organizing.
The event has taken place on St. John in previous years.
St. John Administrator, Leona Smith, as well as a police officer patrolling Cruz Bay’s streets, both said they didn’t know anything about the Take Back the Night march.
Gov. John deJongh Jr. in his Oct. 7 press release proclaimed October Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Take Back the Night marches are traditionally held during October.
According to the governor, domestic violence is a social ill that the Centers for Disease Control called an urgent and costly public health crisis.
Crimes of domestic violence violate a victim’s trust and sense of safety. Domestic violence can take many forms, including forcing, coercing or manipulating someone into unwanted sexual activity, as well as physical, emotional or mental abuse, he said.
Domestic violence encompasses the crimes of rape, incest, child sexual assault, ritual abuse, assault, battery, sexual exploitation, sexual contact, harassment, bullying, exposure or voyeurism. Those crimes can be perpetrated by anyone from a school teacher to a coworker, from a religious leader to an athlete, from a date to a family member.
“By proclaiming Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are calling attention to this unacceptable behavior and encouraging all members of our community to work together to end the suffering of victims at the hands of those who are closest to them,” deJongh said.
Victims are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing long-term mental health problems, including suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, promiscuity, low self-esteem, psychiatric hospitalization and post-traumatic stress disorder, the governor’s press release indicated.
“We can stop the cycle of domestic violence by working together to advocate for the rights and needs of victims, by making prevention a priority, and by holding perpetrators accountable,” deJongh said.
The Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council encourages all Virgin Islanders to wear a purple ribbon during the month of October to commemorate the victims of domestic violence and raise awareness about the problem.
The council urged anyone who sees domestic violence occurring to call the police at 911.
