Thursday evening I was on Church St. in Burlington for the annual Speak Out to bring awareness to Domestic Violence. The statistics on Domestic Violence are scary:

~ One in four women will be a victim of Domestic Violence in her lifetime
~ Three out of four Americans know some one who is or who has been a victim of Domestic Violence
~ More than three women and one man are murdered by their intimate partner every day in America

Having been a victim of violence myself, it is one of my personal missions to speak out against violence of all kinds. As long as violence exists in our society, we are all impacted by it. Thursday's Speak Out began with a candlelight vigil followed by a silent march down Church St. and College St. The Speak Out resumed when we gathered indoors to share music and stories.

It was a powerful and moving evening. Many shared how their church or their belief in God helped them through the most difficult times of their life. Everyone affirmed the importance of family and friends in helping them get to safety and find healing.

The more we, as a society, speak out against violence the less acceptable it will become. No one should fear for their safety or their life, especially at the hands of someone who is supposed to love them. What can you do? What can we do to speak out against violence in our world?