The Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County is holding the annual Silent Witness March for domestic assault awareness month in Wakefield, Rhode Island on Thursday, Oct. 3.
Keith Labelle, who works in education, outreach and training as a Title IX deputy coordinator, created the Bystander Intervention Program at the University of Rhode Island. The program members, called URi-STANDers, also partner with the DVRC to provide resources and aid for those experiencing domestic violence and sexual assault, according to Labelle.
“[The march] gives a voice to those whose lives were lost as a result of domestic violence and to spread awareness,” Labelle said. “To inform people that there are a lot of things that lead up to a murder.”
The march will begin at 5 p.m. on High Street, with participants walking down Main Street, according to Kathleen Carland, the DVRC director of development and communication.
Red wooden cutouts line Main Street to represent the silent witnesses: all of the men, women and children who have been killed in acts of domestic violence in Rhode Island, Labelle said. Where their hearts should be, the six-foot wooden cutouts have plaques that tell the story of how they died.
As the march concludes , the Contemporary Theater Company , located on Main Street, will host a moment of reflection and a candle display honoring the victims of domestic violence following the walk, according to Carland. Michelle LePage, executive director of the DVRC, will also make a speech.
This march is pivotal for the URI community as it gives survivors and others support, according to third-year Caitlin Reardon, an intern with URi-STAND. She believes that the march could inspire community members to reach out for help.
Reardon, a member of the women’s rowing team, said that URI sports teams go through a sexual assault prevention seminar every year. She discovered URi-STAND during that seminar and chose to take the bystander prevention class taught by Labelle.
“[URi-STAND] is a group for students by students,” LaBelle said. “I feel like the support from our campus, but particularly the support from students, is really what has made my program successful over the years.”
Any students interested in becoming an URi-STAND member are required to take a full semester of CSV 302, a Bystander Intervention Training course taught by LaBelle.
“I will never forget my very first presentation,” Labelle said. “It was a hot September day in Browning Hall. It was two different URI 101 sections and I knew my stuff. I was interactive and funny and tried to keep it light. I nailed it. I will never forget after I gave that presentation, [when] four women came to me and they wanted my help. And it became really real for me and personal.”
90% of the time that domestic violence occurs, it is with somebody that the person knows and thought they could trust in a place where they felt safe, according to Labelle.
46% of women and 40% of men have experienced domestic abuse in Rhode Island, according to Carland. Members of the LGBTQ community are more vulnerable to domestic abuse.
In 2000, the violence against women prevention program at URI received a $300,000 grant to combat violent crimes against women on campus, according to Labelle.
“We changed the name of the program to Violent Prevention and Advocacy Services [in 2014] to be more inclusive and it just kind of took off from there,” Labelle said.
Labelle runs the education side of this organization, teaching four classes on campus. The classes offered at URI discuss rape culture, stalking, the representation of women in media and how the media depicts sexual assault inaccurately, according to Labelle.
“We don’t talk about what it looks like behind closed doors in real life,” Labelle said. “What are some controlling behaviors? What are the red flags? What is the cycle of violence? What are the resources and what is the definition?”
The programs regard specific behavior indicators and are aimed at raising awareness and providing resources to students, according to Labelle. Recognizing unhealthy behaviors can end the cycle of violence.
“We are going to do our thing at URI,” Labelle said. “We are going to educate people and support students and we are going to continue to help.”
URI Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services educated 8,000 students and people on domestic violence during the spring 2024 semester, according to Labelle.
“It’s on all of us to make a difference,” Labelle stated. “Together we can.”
Upcoming sports games will be sponsored by the URi-STAND program, including the football game on Oct. 26, according to Labelle.
The DVRC also holds in-person support groups on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and counseling is available at the drop in center .
For additional resources, URI students can access the Counseling Center , Health Services and the Psychological Consultation Center .