WEST MONROE, La. — Valerie Bowman, the Director of The Wellspring Alliance’s Domestic Violence Program and the Family Justice Center of Ouachita Parish, joined us on Louisiana Living to talk about the Domestic Violence Awareness and about their upcoming ‘Hope in the Light of Day’ event happening this week.

Monroe, La. (Press Release) – The Family Justice Center of Ouachita Parish (FJC) presents Hope in the Light of Day Thursday, October 3 at 10 a.m. at Ouachita Grand Plaza. Hope in the Light of Day is the annual domestic violence awareness month commemorative ceremony where survivors of domestic violence and those who work to end it are celebrated.

“Domestic violence is a crime that affects us all,” said The FJC Director Valerie Bowman. “October is a time to mourn those who were murdered due to domestic violence, but also celebrate survivors and continue the work towards ending domestic violence. Hope in the Light of Day gives us the opportunity to recognize survivors who have overcome traumatic experiences.”

The theme for this year’s event is Let Your Light Shine. Jeslyn Lewis, regional domestic violence outreach & prevention coordinator for The Wellspring said, “There is so much darkness surrounding domestic violence. There are a lot of unanswered questions and much about survivors reasoning that we simply do not understand. We want survivors to let their light shine, so others will know they are not alone!”

For information about services, please call The FJC at (318) 998-6030. The FJC is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The office is located at 620 Riverside Drive in Monroe.

About The FJC

The FJC, one of the first 15 such centers in the world, is a partnership of community advocates, law enforcement, prosecution and judiciary representatives. Established in 2005 with The Wellspring serving as the lead agency, the partners provide a coordinated community response under one roof for domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In 2016, we were able to add legal services further enhancing assistance and support to these victims. Learn more at www.yourfjc.org.