Oasis to hold domestic violence vigil in honor of 29 lives lost in Kentucky last year

October 1, 2019 | 3:10 am

Updated October 1, 2019 | 12:38 am

Oasis Women’s Shelter will host a vigil for victims of domestic violence on Tuesday. This vigil serves to honor the lives that have been lost to domestic violence across the state of Kentucky over the last year, of which there were 29.

Of those 29, 25 were women and four were men, said Oasis Executive Director Andrea Robinson. That number is higher than average for Kentucky, she said.

“The average is usually between 20 and 25, but those are just the victims we know about,” Robinson said. “In our state, that’s a significant number.”

It’s difficult to know exactly how many victims have been killed through domestic violence because some of those deaths haven’t been reported, Robinson said.

Oasis has been seeing more women come through their doors as victims of domestic violence as well, Robinson said.

“Our numbers have been a little higher than average,” she said. “We run a 60-bed facility. We were seeing between 60 and 70 in August, and it got up to 74 at one point.”

Robinson said she doesn’t believe domestic violence is becoming more frequent, but that people are becoming more aware of the options they have to escape it.

“A lot of that is the work done by shelters and advocates. I think people are more aware of the services provided to them,” she said.

The domestic violence vigil has been held for the last several years and serves as a memorial service for the victims, as well as a gathering place to inspire others.

“We’ll have a former client who will speak about her experience with domestic violence, and how she [overcame it],” Robinson said. “We want to remind everyone that those who get help are survivors.”

Of the 29 victims whose names will be read at tomorrow’s vigil, two were from Henderson, Robinson said. Chloe Randolph Abdikadir was 20 when she was killed, and Monika Roberts was 35.

The domestic violence vigil will be open to the public and held at Bridgepointe Church, located at 2706 Wesleyan Park Plaza. The memorial service will begin at 6 p.m.

October 1, 2019 | 3:10 am

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