Survivor Voices rang out like bells in the emotional and powerful Finding Our Voices forum on domestic abuse Mother's Day weekend at the Chocolate Church Arts Center. Thank you to my survivor sisters and one brother (Scott Denman) for sharing your stories. Kerry Smith talked about her best friend Jennie Bailey who was murdered by her father in Bath last October, along with Jennie's mother Lisa; Courtney Davis talked about growing up with an abusive father, getting trapped with an abusive partner, and then extricating that partner's daughter from her own domestic violence nightmare. Amy Levasseur DesRoberts and Lilly DesRoberts gave mother and daughter perspectives on domestic abuse that almost took the life of Lilly; Sarah Robbins talked about the economic abuse that plagued her, post-separation; and Mary Lou Smith talked about how "no one knew" about the decades of hell in her picture perfect family. And we wrapped it all up in a big yellow velvet bow with all of us, plus members of the audience who are also survivors, chiming in with what we can do now that we couldn't do then, including "keep an empty ice cube tray in the freezer" and "breathe". Thank you for sharing. (fb)

"Domestic abuse doesn't stop for rain, and neither do we." Fifty women, men, children, came out in a torrential rain for the Mother's Day weekend End-DV march in downtown Brunswick Saturday morning. Lots of car honks, lots of hugs, lots of determination to only get louder! Thank you Caroline LeCour and NEWS CENTER Maine for taking time from your flood coverage to cover US! https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/outreach/finding-our-voices-domestic-abuse-violence-survivors-advocates-rally-brunswick-mothers-day/97-20f2ca7f-aa3a-499d-a716-33454a5097ee (fb)