STEPS to End Family Violence/RAPP Coordinators, Peer Leaders and Commissioner Rosemonde Pierre-Louis on the steps of Bronx County Courthouse
We are proud to have participated in the 14th Annual Gladys Ricart & Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Brides March this past Friday, September 26, 2014, lending our voices to a movement that will continue UNTIL THE VIOLENCE STOPS! We marched alongside approximately 500 people, including the Mayor’s Office to Combat Family Violence Commissioner, Rose Pierre-Louis, NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Public Advocate Tish James, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, and other elected officials.
So far this year, in the Bronx, there have been 17 documented cases where a woman was killed by a current or former intimate partner. One young woman was murdered the night before this march. This violence is beyond disturbing. Through RAPP, we continue to work to engage the Truman community in discussions about relationships (what is healthy/unhealthy, recognizing warning signs, etc). RAPP Peer Leaders are an integral part of interrupting cycles of violence, through visibility and participation in campaigns like this, through everyday interactions with family and friends, raising awareness of dating abuse and promoting healthy relationships.
The seven mile trek started in Washington Heights, through the South Bronx, Harlem and ending in Spanish Harlem. We’d like to congratulate Mohammad Taha, Iemanie Stokes, Mahutin Paul, and Mohammed Bakkar for their participation!
For more information on the Brides March, visit bridesmarch.com, or for media coverage, check the links below.
Media outlets that covered the march included News 12, NY1, ABC, CBS, and the Wall Street Journal.
http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2014/09/26/photos-brides-march-against-domestic-violence/?mod=e2fb
http://bronx.news12.com/news/brides-march-against-domestic-violence-held-on-grand-concourse-1.9417014
http://www.ny1.com/content/news/216186/annual-brides-march-raises-awareness-for-domestic-violence/