Merced residents march against domestic violence

It took Juana Aguilar 45 years to leave an abusive relationship. She hopes her story will inspire others not to wait so long to speak up and take action.

The Merced County woman was among several women and men who marched Thursday to mark the closure of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

A group of about 40 people walked from Merced’s Courthouse Park to the Team Pump fitness center on 18th Street to bring attention to domestic abuse, an issue very much alive in the community of Merced, said Chee Yang, program director at the Valley Crisis Center.

In a gathering at the end of the march, Aguilar shared her personal story with the crowd. After she became married, she said, she isolated herself from friends, stayed quiet and did as she was told.

“When we get married, we say ‘for better or worse,’ but we never imagine abuse,” she said. “A year ago, I said ‘I had enough.’ It was the best decision I made; it was for myself, for my safety.”

She encouraged others in a similar situation to speak up and break the cycle of abuse.

The walk, along with efforts by the center, is meant to empower women and men to end domestic violence, organizers said. Participants carried signs reading “Love Should Never Hurt” and “Break the Silence.”

Speaking to participants after the march, Yang spoke about how the center’s worked is paying off. Last year alone, she said, Valley Crisis provided services to 1,700 domestic violence survivors and to about 400 survivors of sexual assault.

“We at Valley Crisis are aware of this growing epidemic,” she said. “Our goal is to help those that are suffering.” Since the center opened its doors in 2008, it has provided legal advocacy, peer counseling, emergency shelter and a 24-hour crisis hotline.

Aguilar also spoke earlier this month at a similar event in Los Banos. The annual Peace for Families walk out of Pacheco Park, organizers said, brings the community together year after year, showing the importance of such efforts.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is recognized nationally every October. Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors, which include physical, sexual, and psychological attacks as well as economic coercion, according to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence.

Victims of domestic abuse in Merced are advised to contact the Valley Crisis Center 24-hour hotline at 209-722-4357. If in danger, call 911.

This story was originally published October 30, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Merced residents march against domestic violence."