The Center for Prevention of Abuse Takes Domestic Violence Awareness to New Heights this October

Village of Peoria Heights Turns Fountain Purple and Raises Purple Flag at Tower Park
to Honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Who:                   Carol Merna, Executive Director, Center for Prevention of Abuse
The Honorable Michael Phelan, Mayor, Village of Peoria Heights
Dustin Sutton, Chief of Police, Peoria Heights Police Department
  

What:                 The fountain in Peoria Heights will turn purple and Tower Park will fly a purple flag this October in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Village of Peoria Heights is collaborating with the Center for Prevention of Abuse for a press conference to announce the month-long campaign, honor victims, support survivors, and join forces in the community to fight against domestic violence.

                             There is opportunity for interviews, b-roll, and photos following the announcement.

When:                 Monday, October 1, 2018
10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

Where:               Village of Peoria Heights
Tower Park
4901 Prospect
Peoria Heights, IL 61616

Why:                   According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, five people are physically abused by an intimate partner every 15 seconds. In fiscal year 2017, the Illinois Coalition of Domestic Violence reported 61 domestic violence related deaths and 49,243 domestic violence victims served across Illinois.

More than 5,000 women, men and children, affected by violence and abuse are served by the Center for Prevention of Abuse every year. CFPA has two emergency shelters in the Greater Peoria Area, one located in Peoria and the second, The Carol House of Hope, is located in Pekin.

In fiscal year 2018, CFPA provided:

·         8,450 nights in safe shelter for victims fleeing violence or abuse

·         1,947 Orders of Protection at Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford County courthouses

·         132 Domestic Violence medical advocacies in local hospital emergency rooms

CFPA is the only agency in the State of Illinois to provide its combination of services for survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, sexual abuse, elder abuse, abuse of adults living with disabilities, and prevention education.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Camille Yameen
cyameen@centerforpreventionofabuse.org
Center for Prevention of Abuse / 309.272.2904

About the Center for Prevention of Abuse

The Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) is the only agency authorized by the State of Illinois to provide a combination of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and adult protective services. Annually, more than 5,000 women, men and children, affected by violence and abuse are served by CFPA. CFPA offers school-based abuse prevention programming to students pre-K through college age, reaching out to about 30,000 young people each year. Through these activities, plus community presentations and trainings, CFPA lives out its mission to help everyone – women, men and children – live free from violence and abuse.  For more information about CFPA, visit www.centerforpreventionofabuse.org or call 309-691-0551. The crisis line is available 24/7 1-800-559-SAFE (7233).