Food, live music, children’s activities, yoga classes, a climbing wall, and more than 60 education and activity booths lured an estimated 2,000 San Diego County residents to the 10th Annual Hope in the Park community in Balboa Park on Saturday, Oct. 13.
The event was crafted to help raise awareness about domestic violence while offering participants a variety of resources and recreational activities. Organizers also provided an opportunity for participants to honor local victims of relationship violence with a candlelight vigil held later that evening in San Diego’s Mid City neighborhood.
Ginny Scharbarth spoke at the event, honoring her daughter Kathleen Scharbarth of Carlsbad, who was murdered by a former boyfriend last year. “Our daughter Kathy taught us about hope. Today I ask that you each make a pledge to help a loved one, neighbor, or co-worker experiencing domestic violence to get connected with an advocate that can assist them in safely leaving an abusive relationship. You can also refer them to call the confidential National Domestic Violence Hotline.”
Hope in the Park is hosted in October each year, in conjunction with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Local experts say the event is an important tool to bring the issue of domestic violence out into the light.
“Ending relationship abuse starts with each and every one of us. Through education. Through prevention. And through intervention,” stated San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, one of the speakers at the event.
Last year San Diego County saw 71 percent increase in domestic violence related homicides, up from 14 DV homicides in 2010 to 24 killed in 2011. Those numbers include 17 individuals killed by a current or former husband or boyfriend and 7 more people who were killed in these cases, including 5 children, according to the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team.
“Domestic violence is a serious and challenging problem affecting our community. We must all help to close the gap on domestic violence,” said City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, in a prior interview.
If you or someone you know suspects that they are experiencing relationship abuse, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-“SAFE(7233).
The event was organized by the San Diego Domestic Violence Council.