News & Events

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Day of Remembrance Vigil

Contact: Elizabeth Sanchez, Community Engagement Director esanchez@prevailca.org • (209) 941-2611

Since 1989, October has been declared as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Ever since then, agencies and communities have joined every October to acknowledge domestic violence survivors and bring awareness to communities around the Country.

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, an average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. Between July 2021 and June 2022, PREVAIL, formerly Women’s Center – Youth & Family Services, served 943 victims of domestic violence and assisted in petitioning for 554 Temporary Restraining Orders; our domestic violence shelters housed 408 clients and our crisis lines received a total of 2,608 calls.

This year, as part of our Domestic Violence Awareness campaign, we have invited agencies, and leaders in our community, to house 1 to 3 of our silent witness silhouettes at their location during the month of October 2023. The real size wooden silhouettes represent individuals in San Joaquin County who lost their life to domestic violence. Below are a few participating locations:

San Joaquin County Office of Education

Department of Child Support Services

City of Tracy

County Administrative Building

District Attorney’s Office

Tracy Defense Depot

UEI College

Human Services Agency

Collins Electrical

Stanislaus State – Stockton Campus

Family Justice Center

St. Joseph’s Medical Center

Tracy Police Department

United Way

Mexican Consulate in Sacramento Huddle Cowork

Lodi Police Department

PREVAIL’s, Annual Day of Remembrance was held on Thursday, October 26, with opened viewing of the silhouettes from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM, and program with authorities and guest speakers from 12:00 to 1:00 PM at 620 North San Joaquin Street, Stockton. The vigil was free to the public. The Day of Remembrance is an opportunity to honor and remember individuals and families whose lives were lost due to domestic violence.

Vigil attendees were encouraged to walk around the courtyard display of life-sized silhouettes. Each one representing a man, woman, or child who was murdered in an act of domestic violence since 1994. As a somber and reflective vigil, Day of Remembrance is a time to honor those we have lost and an opportunity to join in our efforts to end violence.

For further information visit the website at https://weshallprevail.org or contact event producer Elizabeth Sanchez at 209-929-6726 or esanchez@prevailca.org.

About PREVAIL

PREVAIL, formerly Women’s Center-Youth & Family Services is San Joaquin County’s only provider of free, confidential shelter and services specifically designed to meet the needs of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and homeless and runaway youth. During this last year, PREVAIL provided services to over 5,000 participants through our various programs.

The mission of PREVAIL is to provide safety, compassion, and respect as we educate, empower and advocate for individuals, families, and young people.