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IOW community to hold awareness walk for sexual assault victims

Posted at 6:35 PM, Oct 07, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-08 17:35:48-04

Isle of Wight, Va. – Folks in the Carrollton community and the greater Isle of Wight area are coming together for a community awareness walk to put an end to sexual violence.

The walk will be held on October 19th at 6 p.m. Participants will meet in Carrollton at the Brookwood cul-de-sac, which is the neighborhood behind Ron’s Food Mart. It’s expected to last about an hour and a half. There will also be a candlelight vigil. Representatives from the Center for Sexual Assault Survivors will speak. People will also be there to teach self defense.

The organizers of the event say they will support services including the rape crisis line, counseling services, prevention education and increasing education and community organizing to end sexual assault.

Organizer Lourah Jefferies says they are doing their part of raise awareness and send a message to the recently abducted and sexually abused girl‘s family.

“I want them to know that we’re here for them. Whatever they need, we love them, we care for them. And like I said, we’re not just neighbors, but we’re friends,” she says.

She says she started planning the walk several weeks ago to get the word out about crime in the area and to get to know her neighbors.

“This day that we live in, we don’t always know our neighbor and it’s so important,” she says.

For more information about the walk, please call 757-599-9844 or email info@visitthecenter.org.