The Women’s Center-High Desert is inviting the public to attend its Shine the Light on Domestic Violence event, October 4 at 6pm.
This year’s event will begin at Valley Fitness, located at 6200 Lake Isabella Boulevard, Lake Isabella. Participants should consider bringing flashlights to join the march, which will lead up to Erskine Creek Road and then back to the starting location.
Organizer for the event, Christy Newbern who is a victim advocate, said she plans to feature a speaker for the event. The theme this year is focused on men who experience domestic violence. Newbern told the Kern Valley Sun the reason she chose this theme. “Because we’re called the Women’s Center High Desert, a lot of people don’t realize that we help men. So I’m just trying to get that better known in community that we do help them. Also to bring awareness that domestic violence doesn’t just happen to women.”
Newbern said that men experiencing domestic violence have similar issues women experience including PTSD, depression, and confusion. “All of our services that we provide, we provide to men and women,” she said.
This event is for survivors and supporters to unite. It’s to bring more awareness to the community and to let the community know that there is help available in the community.
“October will be ten years that I’ve been a victim advocate with the Women’s Center- High Desert. And I just knew that I wanted to be in a position to help women coming out of domestic violence or substance abuse because those are things that I experienced that I came out of. So that was my heart’s desire was to be able to help other women who experience the same things,” she said.
“Everyone in the community is invited to this event, either to get more information about domestic violence, teen dating violence, other family violence, or if they just want to come and walk for a loved one that they know who has experienced domestic violence or if they’re a survivor and want to come for more empowerment.” she said
The Women’s Center-High Desert Inc provides typing services for restraining orders and provides victims of domestic violence temporary shelter when necessary. The center provides counseling and court advocacy for victims who need someone to go to court with them.
