BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
At their Work Session meeting Monday, the Elmore County Commission presented a resolution recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and praised the work of the Family Sunshine Center.
Present for the presentation were staff members from the Family Sunshine Center, which works to bring help, shelter and an escape to victims of domestic violence.
“Since you (the Commission) have been supporting the Family Sunshine Center, we have had the opportunity to grow our operations in Elmore County,” Tay Knight, with FSC, said. “Last year we opened an office in Wetumpka and we have an adult counselor and children’s counselor there. I was just asking the adult counselor about what her case load is. She said currently seeing 15 individuals, probably more than likely in the Elmore County area. Our children’s therapist is stationed in Wetumpka, but serves kids through the DHR system and the Elmore County Schools.”
Knight said that the FSC was invited by the Elmore County School system to help kids who are suffering from trauma for various reasons.
“Domestic Violence Awareness Month allows us to not only bring awareness to people who may not know anything about domestic violence, but really to celebrate and honor the survivors,” Knight said.
One in three women, and one in seven men will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime, according to national statistics.
“If you look around this room, you can kind of tell from the people in the room that those statistics are bad. They have not changed in many years. And I will tell you that with the Corona Virus Pandemic those numbers have only gotten worse. You have someone quarantined in a home with an abuser, whether it is the spouse or a child abused. I ask you to keep that in mind as you go about your daily life and pay attention to people that you see. If you see them on a regular basis, and they appear not to be their regular selves, please speak up. Say something. There could be something going on in their life that you may can to save them.”
Commission Chairman Troy Stubbs thanked Knight for what the organization does, and said that all of us have a civic and human responsibility to recognize and acknowledge circumstances of domestic violence. He said everyone should do all they can to support and sustain those who are suffering in some capacity. “We appreciate all that you and your staff do.”
Commissioner Bart Mercer said, “I know that we see statistics from your organization and people that you serve. There are bad people that do bad things that live in our county and around us. Without organizations such as yours these people would not get any help. We always know that the money budgeted is doing good things.”
About the Family Sunshine Center:
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Visit their website at familysunshine.org
The Family Sunshine Center exists to end family violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, and foster hope and healing, in ten Alabama counties: Autauga, Butler, Chilton, Crenshaw, Dallas, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery, Perry, and Wilcox.
800-650-6522 Crisis Line (24-hour)
