BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A councilman in New Milford will host area experts and officials in an annual symposium that discusses the county's responses and efforts to combat domestic violence.
The event on Thursday night will take place at New Milford High School, and it's open to the public.
This year's theme will be: "The Responsibility is Ours: A Discussion of Bergen County's Coordinated Response to Domestic Violence." Domestic violence survivors will share their personal experiences and New Milford Council President Matt Seymour will moderate a roundtable discussion among top professionals engaged in domestic violence prevention and intervention.
An act of domestic violence occurs every seven and a half minutes in the United States, organizers note.
And a Bergen County-based agency has provided help for more than 1,500 adults and children each year, say agency leaders.
Leaders from local law enforcement, social service agencies, and victims' advocacy groups will gather in the New Milford High School Auditorium for the 8th Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Symposium.
"Our goal from the beginning has been to educate the community and connect survivors with vital resources and services," Seymour said.
"Domestic violence cases are among the most complex matters our system confronts, and no single agency can address them alone," said Vered Adoni, chief of Domestic Violence and Bias Crimes, Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.
Find out more about the event here.
More Resources And Reading
The event comes as the Center for Hope and Safety — a nonprofit in Bergen County that provides help and shelter for DV victims — marks 50 years of service. Founded in 1976, the group was formerly known as Shelter our Sisters.
They run a confidential hotline 24 hours per day. Call (201) 944-9600. or check out https://www.hopeandsafetynj.org/.
The group's director has told Patch that even someone who's not ready yet to leave an abusive situation, or who has a friend or relative in such a situation, can reach out to them to make a plan. (In an emergency call 911.)
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