SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and local organizations are gathering together to help raise awareness and support for victims.
Two years ago, Janna Boelke had the courage to leave her relationship after a year of verbal and physical abuse.
“At first we’d be getting into arguments and I’d have a lamp thrown at my head or plates, things being broken. He would punch holes in the walls right next to me and then would always apologize. We would always make up and we would start the whole cycle over again,” Boelke said.
Now, she is doing what she can to show other victims of domestic violence that there is hope.
“The fact that nobody talks about it and it’s in your community was scary. And I just have a strong passion to educate the community that it is in the community,” Boelke said.
Thursday, she will be speaking at the Take Back the Night event.
“It’s really an opportunity to take back the night. It’s that concept of talking about domestic violence, giving that back to people who have been victimized by domestic violence, letting the community know this is not something that we want to tolerate in our community,” said Amy Carter of the Minnehaha County Family Violence Council,
“I’m going to be talking about my story, how I am as a person before my abuser and after my abuser,” Boelke said. “I’m going to be talking about how the relationship started and how it slowly evolved into what it was, how I was able to get out and the help that I had once I got out.”
The event will start with a candlelight vigil walk followed by a program, to provide hope and resources to survivors.
“Sometimes domestic violence isn’t something that is very visible and people try to hide it. And this is our one time of year that we really get the word out and encourage people to talk about it and not be afraid to talk about it,” Carter said.
“It can happen to anybody. There isn’t a stigma against, it can happen to anyone. It happened to me,” Boelke said.
Click here for information on the Take Back the Night Event.
Click here for resources for domestic violence survivors.
