Utah Tech, Dove Center shine ‘light in the darkness’ at domestic violence awareness event

ST. GEORGE — The Utah Tech University clock tower, a modern, 80-foot steel structure installed on the mall of the campus, emitted a purple hue Tuesday evening as a “light in the darkness” – a reminder of the victims of domestic violence.

Dove Center Executive Director Jillian Penhale (left) and Utah Tech Student Resource Center Director Dru Bottoms during “A Light in the Darkness” candlelight vigil on the Utah Tech campus, St. George, Utah, Oct. 18, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

In conjunction with the Dove Center, Utah Tech held a candlelight vigil and memorial known as “A Light in the Darkness.” The special lighting was designed to draw attention to events and an exhibit marking  National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“We can create change,” Dove Center Executive Director Jillian Penhale said. “We can shine a light as domestic violence thrives in secrecy.”

The event and all activities for the week were planned and coordinated by the Student Resource Center and its director Dru Bottoms. The local Dove Center also assisted in organizing and planning the weeklong events and domestic violence awareness experience. The Dove Center provides shelter and resources for domestic violence and sexual assault victims.

“The main purpose of the vigil tonight is to remember and honor victims and to show our support for survivors of domestic violence,” Bottoms said.

Starting just after 6:30 p.m., around 40 people gathered at the clocktower to show their support of the cause in both spirit and apparel. Attendees and participants of the vigil were wearing purple shirts, purple ribbons, purple pants, purple hats, and even a piece of purple amethyst jewelry.

The guest speakers included Utah Tech Interim Chief of Police Ron Bridge, Penhale, Bottoms and a survivor of domestic violence, Beth Loeb. Both the invocation and benediction were given by local spiritual leaders.

Each speaker shared statistics, facts and experiences related to the topic. Most importantly, advice and resources were also given.

“Over 370,000 Utah adult women have already or will directly experience this type of violence,” Bridge said.

Though domestic violence is directed mostly at women, Bridge said it does include men as victims. He added that of all homicides in Utah, over 40% are the result of domestic violence and Utah averages at least one homicide per month as a result of it.

The speakers said that one in three Utah women will experience some form of it, while 21.4% of Utah men experience intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner sexual violence and/or intimate partner stalking in their lifetimes. The speakers also discussed how the leading cause of homelessness for women and children directly results from violence within the home.

Vigil participants pay respects to the victims of domestic violence during “A Light in the Darkness” candlelight vigil on the Utah Tech campus, St. George, Utah, Oct. 18, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

As for college and university campuses, there has been an increase in stalking incidents in recent years. Stalking is defined in Utah as “an intentional course of conduct that the actor knows or should have known would cause fear or emotional distress in a reasonable person.” The criminal charge of stalking is a 3rd-degree felony. Utah Tech has seen this increase, Bridge said.

Once the speeches had concluded, those gathered listened to a rendition of “Amazing Grace” by award-winning musicians Brodie and Melissa Perry and then took part in a moment of silence during which they held up lights in the darkness. This served as a way to remember and honor the victims of domestic violence.

The landmark clock is near the Holland Centennial Commons, where an exhibit of empty shoes was on display for the week. Each empty shoe symbolizes a fallen victim of domestic violence locally, including women, men, children and a baby.

The exhibit, with 16 pairs of empty shoes, each with a placard of the victim’s first name, age and date of death, is displayed on two tables with another table of resources and information pertaining to the Dove Center.

One pair of black high heels in the exhibit symbolized a specific victim whose story made national news when her body was found on an Alaskan cruise ship in 2017. Kristy Manzanares of Santa Clara was that victim. Her husband Kenneth pleaded guilty in 2020, was sentenced to 30 years and was later found dead in prison in July of last year.

“It is heartbreaking,” exclaimed one female UTU student who stopped to examine the shoes.

Domestic violence victim Kristy Manzanares’ empty shoes, part of the Empty Shoe Exhibit on the Utah Tech campus, St. George, Utah, Oct. 18, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

Onlookers stood in silence. A couple with a tear in the corner of their eyes.

“We can’t minimalize this,” Penhale said. “The more we talk about it, the more we can help keep people safe in our communities.”

Bottoms added that Utah Tech’s Student Resource Center is committed to promoting student achievement and retention through inclusive access to resources and services that remove barriers for all students. Assistance is provided for a broad range of issues that may impact academic performance, including those related to food insecurity or basic needs, advocacy, technology assistance, childcare connections and general student support and direction.

The DOVE Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing shelter, advocacy and counseling to survivors of domestic abuse, dating violence, sexual assault, rape, sex trafficking and stalking in Washington and Kane counties.

“There is hope. There is an escape route,” Loeb said.

For more about the Dove Center, click here.

For more about Utah Tech’s Student Resource Center, click here.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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