 "Photo: George Morin / The Advocate")
Responding to the relationships being destroyed by violence and affecting the community in many ways, 44 students came together in the Fireside Room on March 3 to hear the representatives of “Relationships on Violence” share their thoughts, experience and advice on the subject.
Relationship violence, also known as domestic violence or battery by a person in an intimate relationship, is a way of gaining power and control over the other person.
It may involve a combination of physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic abuse.
Richmond City Council candidate Jovanka Beckles believes in raising consciousness about the topic.
She said that if people continue to stay with their minds closed, then their intellect will not be able to expand.
At the event, Beckles pointed out the signs of domestic violence and how to avoid the chance of becoming a victim.
“Anything that doesn’t feel good, any sense of jealousy, aggressive actions or hurtful words are evident to violence,” she said.
Many students said that there are not enough programs in the community to receive help and solutions to put an end to the violence.
Olajuwon Thornton, a member of the Richmond Youth Academy, stressed the importance of such programs.
“We need to get back to the roots and build programs that will allow our youth to vent,” he said, “and work with them to understand that there is a better way to deal with the situation.”
Violence comes in many forms throughout society: such as youth on youth; parents toward children; children toward elderly; spousal abuse; corporate violence that affects a whole community; and music that perpetrates prejudice toward women.
Richmond City Council member Rhonda H. Harris inspired listeners with words of advice on how to gain the respect many seek. She explained that mutual agreement is needed in every relationship.
“Violence plus violence equals more violence,” Harris said.
Domestic violence is a common threat to the general public and continues to become a challenge to the youth with no voice or source of guidance, she said.
A total of 5,058 victims ages 10-24 years old are murdered each month in the U.S. due to violence, and it is the second leading cause of death, Harris said.
“If you can change the way you think, then you can change the way you live your life,” she said.
Charity Edmondson, a two-time victim and survivor of abuse, said that it takes the heart and the strength of a warrior to stop violence.
“We all have that inside of us, to ask for help and to surround ourselves with positive and helpful groups of people,” Edmondson said. “It’s very important to love yourself, to forgive yourself, to love all others and have the strength to ask for help.”
Contact Marjorie Riformo at mriformo.advocate@gmail.com
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