Silhouettes illustrate victims of domestic violence

"Love should not hurt; love should heal," said Marsha Walton of the Sanders County Coalition For Families, who was coordinating this year's "Love Without Fear Week" and the "Montana Silent Witness" program.

Love Without Fear — Feb. 11-15 — is an opportunity for SCCFF to better educate the community about the problems of domestic violence, according to Tootie Welker, director of the nonprofit organization, which is based in Thompson Falls. Love Without Fear is a national program that is usually scheduled the week of Valentine's Day to show a contrast of what people see as a celebration of love. For some, however, that love is violent, according to Welker.

Walton and other staff members of SCCFF distributed posters, ran newspaper ads, placed information on bank reader boards, and put out table cards and place mats that contained domestic violence statistics to various establishments around the county. They placed 59 wooden figurines of domestic violence victims in Heron, Trout Creek, Thompson Falls, Plains, and Hot Springs. Most of the life-size wooden figurines are women, provided by Montana Silent Witness, Inc., a Missoula nonprofit organization. However, this year Sanders County residents Rebecca McGeary, a SCCFF volunteer, and Phil Muhle of Thompson Falls made six children figurines. The statues represent women and children who lost their lives at the hands of domestic violence, according to Walton. The Silent Witnesses, which are painted red, each has an attached plaque with the name of a victim and the circumstances surrounding their death.

Sanders County has been a participant in the Silent Witness program, which began in Minnesota in 1990, for eight years. Two of the Silent Witnesses have connections to Sanders County residents, including Aleasha Chenoweth of Plains and Lavonne Kennedy of Superior. Kennedy's figurine was placed at Harvest Foods in Thompson Falls, where her mother, Jan Butte, works. Her father, Martin Bower, lives in Troy. The 37-year-old Kennedy was killed in September 1999. "Some days are harder than others," said Butte.

Chenoweth's statue was placed at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains, where her aunt, Sandy Chenoweth, is a staff member. "It was kind of bittersweet and really hard the first couple of years," said Sandy, who had flowers placed at the figurine of her late niece, who was murdered by her boy friend Sept. 17, 2004, at age 23.

SCCFF's theme again this year was "domestic violence leaves an empty plate at the table" to signify the absolute extreme of domestic violence that ends in death, said Welker.

"It's awareness," said Walton, who added that people need to know that the problem of domestic violence still exists in Sanders County. "The knowledge of women who have been murdered in Montana is astonishing," said Walton, adding that people who saw them put out the Silent Witnesses seemed surprised that there is a domestic violence issue in Sanders County.

Walton acknowledged that there are instances of men who have been victims, but the numbers are fewer and they seldom report it.

She said SCCFF often targets the youth for educational purposes in order to help educate them at a young age. "That's where the change has to start," said Walton. In the past, SCCFF staff members and volunteers have talked to students at schools around the county. In particular, they want to pass on that "date violence" is unacceptable and should not be tolerated by parents or peers.

SCCFF offers 19 different services, including transitional housing, a shelter, a crisis hot line, counselors, and legal advice. With the help of a federal grant, SCCFF also has a full-time detective, Chad Cantrell, whose sole job is to investigate domestic violence cases. Welker said that all calls to SCCFF are confidential.

According to Welker, 247 children have been impacted by domestic violence, and there have been 228 victims, including 29 who had been stalked. She added that in 2007, there were four children who were victims of child incest/sexual abuse.