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In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, WIZS’ Town Talk will feature local organizations that deal with various aspects of this prevalent type of abuse each Tuesday in October.

Cassandra Hart, Program Integrity/Child Care Supervisor with the Vance County Department of Social Services, appeared on today’s edition of Town Talk as the first guest in the series.

Other guests and scheduled dates include:

Tuesday, October 8 – Vance County Sheriff’s Office

Tuesday, October 15 – Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks

Tuesday, October 22 – Vance County Schools

Tuesday, October 29 – Domestic Violence Advocate/Therapist

“Every October, DSS collaborates with Infinite Possibilities, Inc., Henderson Police Department, Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department and Vance County Schools, to bring awareness to domestic violence,” explained Hart. “We have been offering domestic violence awareness activities for 11 years now – since 2008.”

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the definition of domestic violence is “willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.” This includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological and emotional abuse.

NCADV statistics indicate that nearly 10 million women and men, or 20 people per minute, are physically abused by an intimate partner every year in the United States.

To assist those in the community who may be experiencing domestic violence or would like to better understand how to help those suffering from abuse, Vance County DSS, in partnership with local organizations, has several events scheduled, including:

Lunch and Learn Events hosted by Infinite Possibilities, Inc. on Oct. 7, Lincoln Height Apartments at 12 p.m.; Oct. 10, North Henderson Heights Apartments at 2 p.m.; Oct. 14 Cedarhurst Apartments at 2 p.m.; Oct. 16 Highland Green Apartments at 2 p.m.

The 9th Annual Domestic Violence Walk & Candlelight Vigil will be held on the Vance County Courthouse steps at 5:30 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 24. Walk and presentation, including candlelight vigil for domestic violence victims, last approximately one hour.

A charity basketball tournament will be held Fri., Oct. 25 and Sat., Oct. 26 from 6 until 9 p.m. each evening at the Aycock Rec. Center. All proceeds go to Infinite Possibilities, Inc. to assist victims of domestic violence.

Domestic violence training will be held in the auditorium at Maria Parham Health in Henderson on Fri. Oct. 25. Those interested in learning how to properly help domestic violence victims can choose between the 9-11 a.m. session or the 2-4 p.m. session.

Resources and assistance are also available at the Vance County DSS, located at 350 Ruin Creek Road in Henderson, or by calling the main office line at (252) 492-5001.

Infinite Possibilities is also available by calling (252) 431-1926 or the 24-hour local crisis line at (252) 425-2492. A National Hotline is also available by calling 1-800-799-7233.

To hear Hart’s Town Talk interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.