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SPECIAL AWARENESS
SILENT WITNESS
SILENT WITNESS
By Dr. Sheri Kennan: University of Memphis (CCCR) Lambuth Campus
By Tammy Yosich and April Riddle, ZGP Intern
The Department of Criminology and Criminal Jus-
tice, The Center for Community Criminology and
Research (CCCR), and The Justice League (CJSA), in
partnership with the University of Memphis, Com-
munity Fund Grant, has placed ten (10) red life-size
silent witness silhouettes at various spots through-
out the University of Memphis, Lambuth Campus.
Each silhouette represents an adult female, pregnant
adult female, adult male, a child, and an adult in a
wheelchair to inclusively represent a victim who once
lived, worked, and played amongst us here in the
Jackson-Madison County, Tennessee area. They were
daughters, sisters, mothers, aunts, husbands, children,
friends, neighbors, and employees.
Working with the Safe Hope Center, Jennifer McCraw
provided stories of Jackson/Madison County victims
who have lost their lives due to domestic homicide.
Because these victims no longer have a voice, the
silhouettes are called silent witnesses and speaking
volumes about the epidemic of domestic violence.
The Silent Witness Initiative provides education and
supports the end of domestic violence through com-
munity-based exhibits.
The Silent Witness program is a national initiative
aimed at promoting peace, healing, and responsibili-
ty in adult relationships to eliminate domestic vio-
lence homicides. In 1990, an ad hoc group of women
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Against Women Act to the Violent Crime Control and Law En-
artists and writers, upset about the growing number
of women in Minnesota murdered by their partners
or acquaintances, joined together with several other
women's organizations to form Arts Action Against
Domestic Violence. They felt an urgency to do some-
thing that would speak out against the escalating do-
mestic violence in their state, something that would
commemorate the lives of the 26 women whose lives
were lost in 1990 due to domestic violence.
After much brainstorming, they decided to create
26 free-standing, life-sized red wooden figures, each
one bearing the name of a woman who once lived,
worked, had neighbors, friends, family, children--
whose life ended violently at the hands of a husband,
ex-husband, partner, or acquaintance. A twenty-sev-
enth figure was added to represent those uncounted
women whose murders went unsolved or erroneously
ruled accidental. The organizers called the figures the
Silent Witnesses.
In the 1970s, long before domestic violence became
a national and international issue, individual Junior
Leagues created programs to protect women and
children. In the 1980s, with growing governmen-
tal awareness of the issue, Junior League members
testified before Congressional Committees. In the
1990s, many Junior Leagues joined the Silent Witness
National Initiative. The Initiative raised awareness
in Congress and led to the addition of the Violence
ZGP Magazine
Education
forcement Act of 1994.
In 2021, domestic violent acts against women, children, and men
have grown to epidemic proportions. Today, 1 in 3 women world-
wide and 1 in 6 men will experience sexual violence or intimate
partner violence. However, these are the numbers we know
because nearly 50% of victims never report these crimes. Domes-
tic violence continues to hold a stigma and begs questions from
outsiders. "Why do you stay?" "Is it really that bad? You are well
provided for?" Male victims perhaps may experience more stig-
ma than female victims. In American society, males are expected
to be solid and sufficient providers, protectors, and fear of being
ridiculed or appearing less than prevents many male victims from
reporting abuse. In this vein, women, more so than men, will seek
help. Thus, it is essential to bring awareness that help – without
judgment or stigma – is available to all victims of domestic vio- selves afraid, embarrassed, and unsure of
lence.
Everything is often connected. Adverse Childhood Experiences
(ACEs) have a tremendous impact on future violence victimiza-
tion and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity. For
example, the bullied becomes the bully, or the child who experi- rewiring”. An exchange in response patterns
enced sexual assault may turn toward promiscuity to obtain love
and affection. The vulnerability among those with ACEs can cre-
ate opportunities for abuse, neglect, and violence. Some women
become 'consumable products' for sex traffickers and more likely
to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with a degrading lifestyle.
Similarly, while a child may not have been harmed physically but
witnessed domestic violence in the home can have the same im-
pact on their brain development. Building Strong Brains explains
how the brain is altered by being a victim of abuse or witnessing
violence as a young child.
There is hope to all who suffer and recovery before victims be-
come silenced forever. Hope lies in education, awareness, and
advocacy. A meaningful action anyone can take is, "See Some-
thing, Say Something." It is better to err on the side of cau-
tion than pull to the side of the road for an unnecessary funeral
procession. We all have the power to save a life.
The Silent Witness program brings awareness to those who have
not been personally impacted by domestic violence and may not
be aware it is an issue that touches every age, race, gender, and
social and economic background. The Silent Witness program
also provides education and the opportunity for the distribution
of resources. May we be encouraged as a community to recognize
signs and symptoms of unhealth in ourselves and others. Then
speak up, seek help, and put an end to cycles of violence.
ZGP Magazine www.zoegracepublishing.com
Abuse is intergenerational. It passes from
one generation to the next. A young man
who was abused as a child and doesn't find
a safe place to heal and process his trauma
is likely to mistreat his intimate partners
mentally, emotionally, or physically. The
acceptance of violent behavior as normal as
a child can also cause a college age woman
to believe she caused her angry boyfriend
to lash out. Thus, securing her silence and
removing her will to leave a bad relation-
ship.
Violence also surprises folks who came
from solid loving homes, and find them-
how they got into such a mess or how to
get out. Physical wounds heal with time,
but the impact abuse has on the mind and
emotion is enormous and does not heal or
go away without acknowledgement and "
through self-care and some sort of counsel-
ing or recovery.
Resources
With a combination of the three R’s,
Resilience, Relationship and
Resources, change is possible! Families
that suffer through violent outbursts are
some of the most intuitive, resourceful
& resilient folks you'll ever come across.
They must be in order to survive! They also
depend on these things to function in work,
school and in community relationships
while covering the chaos that's going on at
home.
Once someone acknowledges life is unman-
ageable, they want change, and seek help,
those skills can be turned towards growth
and healing. This is made possible through
engaging with folks that have common
hobbies, interests and beliefs who model
healthy relationships. Counseling and re-
covery programs are equally as helpful.
See page 59 for Links to Resources
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