Domestic Violence presentation

NORMAL -Normal Theater held a presentation called “Survivors: Local Stories of Domestic Violence” earlier this week in light of domestic violence awareness month.  

Illinois State University’s Professor Shelly Clevenger and her criminal justice victimology class, in coordination with the YWCA Stepping Stone and Neville House hosted the event.

Clevenger expands on the inspiration for the presentation.

“I wanted my students and the community to be aware that domestic violence happens within this community,” Clevenger said. “To be aware that there’s all different types of survivors and all different types of abuse.”

The presentation consisted of testimonies from people in the community who wanted to share their story.

They were read by community members and those stories featured a background on the person, what had happened, and how they are coping. There were different sections during the presentation of the types of abuse like sexual, cyber, emotional, and physical.

Clevenger explains on how this event empowers survivors.

“I think they can feel more empowered to see that this happens to lots of people,different people than we might think. That there is some power in storytelling and in saying these things out loud,”said Clevenger. 

Members of the community who are experiencing forms of abuse or know someone who is are encouraged to contact Neville house, YWCA Stepping Stones, Bloomington, Normal, and ISU police.

Jose Sandoval contributed to this story