The Twin Ports' mayors joined today to proclaim October Domestic Violence Awareness month.
Domestic abuse awareness advocates, police, legal professionals and others joined mayors Herb Bergson and 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 of 16 women in abusive relationships, including four friends of the women and six children, according to Minnesota Program Development executive director Linda Riddle said.
Erika Leif, assistant director of the Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse, noted that 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 wreaking 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 on the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 18; and a candlelight vigil in the YWCA auditorium at 6 p.m. on Oct. 23.
