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CNMI waves purple for domestic violence survivors
Families, students, and public safety officers lined Beach Road near the Oleai Pavillon Wednesday for the Purple Wave, Roll, and Walk event organized by the Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence to honor domestic violence survivors in the CNMI. (IVA MAURIN)
The Saipan community gathered Wednesday at the Oleai Pavilion for the Purple Wave, Roll, and Walk event organized by the Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence to honor the strength of all domestic violence survivors in the CNMI.
Families, schools, and public safety officers formed a line along Beach Road and waved purple pompoms while calling for an end to abuse and domestic violence on the island. Motorists honked to show solidarity.
“We wanted to do one event where the whole community can come out and express love for each other, their support for survivors, and the promise that there will be no more violence in the CNMI in the generations to come,” said NMCADSV executive director Maisie B. Tenorio.
This is the 25th year of hosting Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the CNMI.
The event also sends a message to domestic violence survivors that there are hundreds of people on the island who support, honor, believe, and are inspired by the strength the survivors display every single day.
“If you are living with domestic violence, we know that that takes a lot of strength,” Tenorio said. “We are here to honor and support you. Please know that you are not alone.”
Last year, the CNMI Department of Public Safety received 239 calls relating to domestic abuse, and the Office of the Attorney General prosecuted 73 cases of domestic violence.
Family Violence Task Force coordinator John Cruz stressed that help is available for domestic violence survivors.
“Everyone is a different,” Cruz said. “There is help and yes, they are going to get scared. That is normal, but there is help that can help them heal, and that can help their children also, and have shelters where they can stay if they need to.”
For more information about supporting survivors, call the Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence at 234-3878, the Family Violence Task Force at 664-4584, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline website at thehotline.org.
