Both Twin Ports mayors joined Monday to proclaim October Domestic Violence Awareness month.
Domestic abuse awareness advocates, police, legal professionals and others joined Duluth Mayor Herb Bergson and Superior Mayor Dave Ross for the event in Duluth City Hall.
"We would all love never to have to come here again," said Susan Utech, executive director for Safe Haven Shelter for Battered Women.
So far this year in Minnesota, domestic violence has cost the lives of16 women in abusive relationships, including four friends of the women and six children, said Minnesota Program Development executive director Linda Riddle said.
Erika Leif, assistant director of the Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse, said five women would suffer from domestic abuse while she talked.
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"And I'm only going to talk for a minute or minute and a half," she said. "It's time for a change."
"Let's work together to rid the violence that is wrecking homes," Leif said.
October was established as Domestic Violence Awareness month in 1987, both to draw attention to the problem and scale of domestic violence and to educate people about what is being done to solve it.
Events around the Twin Ports this month include CASDA's annual walk/run at 9 a.m. Saturday at Barker's Island Festival Park; a domestic violence awareness march starting onthe University of Wisconsin-Superior campus at5:30 p.m. Oct. 18; and a candlelight vigil in theYWCA auditorium at 6 p.m. Oct. 23.
