NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Remembering victims of domestic violence and recognizing survivors.
The Shade Tree, a nonprofit organization in North Las Vegas, held a candlelight vigil on Thursday to honor victims of domestic violence and survivors during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The vigil is held each year in October, according to the nonprofit.
“There are so many aspects to domestic violence, and it’s not just the physical," said Linda Perez, CEO of The Shade Tree.
More than 40 Shade Tree staff members and clients will gathered outside the shelter. Signs with names of Nevadans who lost their lives to domestic violence over the last decade were placed throughout the grounds.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 44 percent of women and 33 percent of men in Nevada experience some form of domestic violence in their lifetimes. Also, on average, they say nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States.
This equates to more than 10 million women and men annually, according to NCADV.
“That means either you, someone you know, or someone you love, has or will be affected by intimate partner violence if we don’t start talking about it. Most people think it’s just physical and it’s not. It’s also mental, verbal, and financial, ” Perez said.
The Shade Tree is an organization that provides 24-hour accessible shelter to meet the needs of domestic violence and human trafficking survivors, their children and pets through the help of a partnership with Noah's Animal House.
More information on The Shade Tree can be found here.
