A candlelight vigil will be held on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at the courthouse on the square in Leitchfield to raise awareness for Domestic Violence.

In honor of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month,the SpringHaven Domestic Violence Program, an Elizabethtown-based non-profit group which serves eight counties, including Grayson, is organizing the event.

In addition to the vigil, the group will have a balloon release after listening to three scheduled speakers - one, a victim a domestic violence herself; another, Judge Shan Embry, who has seen the need for this awareness in her work in our judicial system; and finally, the interim director for SpringHaven, who provides support for victims each day.

“We’re really trying to raise some domestic violence awareness in Grayson County,” said Sandy Cruse, the Grayson County liaison with SpringView, “We want to let people know that it does exist. It’s real and it’s important.”

“Community support is key to helping deal with this problem,” Cruse explained, “Still, some people don’t want to talk about it. It can be a difficult thing to talk about. The more people know about it and hear about it, the more we can do to help prevent future problems with domestic violence.”

SpringHaven provides support, outreach, and resources to domestic violence victims, and serves as a victim’s advocate. The group has a shelter in Elizabethtown where female victims who meet certain criteria - including being in eminent danger and with few resources - and their children can stay.

Any victim, regardless of meeting those criteria, can find valuable resources through SpringHaven, though.

“It’s a serious problem,” Cruse continued, “it could be anybody, anybody’s sister, mother, aunt, neighbor.”

Cruse also stressed that this is not just a problem that effects women. Men can be victims of domestic violence, too.

“There are men that we provide services for just like any victim,” she explained.

Cruse said that Thursday’s vigil is planned to “help the victims know that there’s a place to go and a community to support anyone that’s in that situation.”

“It lets us, as a community, come together so we can help,” she said.

Everyone is encouraged to attend the event, whether they know someone who has or is suffering from a domestic violence situation or they just want to lend their support.

Anyone wishing to go further and volunteer their time or donate money to help the organization can also call 270-765-4057.

If you or someone you know is living with domestic violence, you can call and get information or assistance from SpringHaven at 1-800-767-5838 or 270-769-1234.