One in four women is affected by domestic violence, and one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. To increase community awareness about the issues surrounding domestic violence, a provocative new exhibit that highlights an often ignored side of the issue arrived at the Jacksonville Main Library on Tues., Oct. 5, accompanied by the candid testimonial of a local domestic violence survivor. The SEE RED exhibit, sponsored by Verizon Wireless, focuses on batterer awareness. To help end the destructive cycle, SEE RED was created to captivate, educate and visually motivate passersby to stop, recognize the warning signs of abuse and help end domestic violence.
Launched in 2008, SEE RED is tasked with stopping the violence at the source, the batterers. From different perspectives, each of the four aptly dressed red mannequins tells the disturbing story of a domestic violence incident. Flagging the mannequins, two large banners display the chilling facts of domestic violence and provide contact information for where batterers, victims and those who know either can go to get help. The exhibit travels across Florida, generating awareness for the cause.
In addition to the SEE RED exhibit, the emotional testimonial of Starletha Cherry brought a very real element to the exhibit.
“During the years that domestic violence was a part of my life, it affected not only me but also my daughters, who gave me the courage to realize that I was better than the abuse,” said Cherry about her years of abuse. Eager to share her story of survival, Cherry hopes to educate others so that lives can be saved.
“Domestic violence affects our children, our families and our friends. Through this exhibit, we hope to communicate that all of us have the power to stop the violence,” says Chuck Hamby, public relations manager for the Florida region of Verizon Wireless. “By thinking before you act or speaking up against the actions of others, you can save a life, a friend, a family member.”
Aspiring to break the destructive cycle of domestic violence, Verizon Wireless of Florida has teamed with Hubbard House and the Jacksonville Public Library System to bring this powerfully candid and emotional display of art to south Florida.
The Verizon Wireless SEE RED exhibit will be on display at the Main Library until Oct. 29, 2010.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 92 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
About Hubbard House
Founded as the first domestic violence shelter in Florida in 1976, Hubbard House is a certified, comprehensive domestic violence center providing programs and services to more than 6,200 women, children, and men annually in Duval and Baker counties. While Hubbard House is most known for its emergency shelter, the agency also provides extensive adult and youth outreach services, school-based education, therapeutic childcare, batterers’ intervention programs, court advocacy and volunteer and community education opportunities. Visit www.hubbardhouse.org to learn more.
About the Jacksonville Public Library
The Jacksonville Public Library is an American Star Library, selected from 7,268 public libraries nationwide by the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service. The Jacksonville Public Library provides programs and services to Duval County residents at the Main Library and 20 branch locations with a collection of more than 3 million materials. More than 5.4 million people visited Jacksonville Public Libraries in 2009. For more information about the Jacksonville Public Library, call 630-BOOK (2665) or visit jaxpubliclibrary.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.