2nd MetroWest Women's Commission Forum: Interpersonal Violence

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The second of four planned discussions organized by the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women for Domestic Violence Awareness month will take place on Thursday. The event will focus on two local cases of interpersonal violence: Wayland teen Lauren Dunne Astley and East Bridgewater's Kim Boleza Parker.

Here's more from a commission press release:

The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women will be hosting the second of four online discussions in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Please join us at 7 p.m. on Oct. 14 for "Shattered: The Impact of Interpersonal Violence on Loved Ones — Families Share Their Stories. The event, which is free and open to the public, will hear from Mary Dunne and Malcolm Astley, parents of Lauren Dunne Astley (1993-2011), a Wayland teen who lost her life to interpersonal violence prior to beginning her freshman year of college, and Stephanie Deeley, whose sister, Kim Boleza Parker (1967-2013) was a victim of interpersonal relationship violence found dead on her front lawn in 2013.

Guests will remember their loved ones and the events that led to their passing, as well as discuss how healthy relationship education, upstander training and knowing the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship can help to stop interpersonal violence before it begins.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, approximately “20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States.” Moreover, it is estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 9 men have experienced physical abuse by an intimate partner over their lifetime (NCADV Statistics).

Says Heather Panahi, Chairwoman of the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women, "Interpersonal violence is an epidemic in this country. It does not discriminate. We as a community need to be having regular conversations about interpersonal
violence and what each of us can do to combat it in our homes, schools and neighborhoods. If you are a parent or grandparent, a sibling, a cousin or a friend, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss."

The event, which will take place on Zoom, is free and open to the public. Please visit the Eventbrite page.

The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women was enacted by law and established on Jan. 8, 2015, to give voice to all women in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts. We strive to provide a permanent, effective voice for the women living and working in the region. We work at the local level to raise awareness and advocate for issues affecting women in the 28 communities we represent: Ashland, Bellingham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Natick, Needham, Norfolk, Northborough, Norwood, Sherborn, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Walpole, Wayland, Wellesley, Westborough, Weston, and Wrentham.