MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Marine Corps Community Services-South Carolina and CODA, local domestic violence awareness group, held a vigil to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
"Domestic violence is defined as violence in the home, whether it is physical, emotional or sexual,"said Jennifer Chappell, a victim advocate from Family Services. "It is about power and control."
The emotional night was filled with personal stories about domestic abuse.
One such story came from Suzanne Lorente, a mother of three and a victim of domestic violence. She said she is more than a victim, she is a survivor.
"I say I am a survivor because I am a victim who luckily survived,"Lorente said.
She shared her story with the audience.
Lorente's ex-husband started abusing her 12 years ago. The abuse started as verbal abuse and quickly turned into physical abuse. She suffered broken cheek bones, broken ribs and bruises.
However, that was not the worst part of it.
"He set my apartment on fire hoping I would be inside,"Lorente explained. "He knew the kids were gone."
This was the last straw.
Lorente relocated, but he followed her.
The abuse continued until Lorente was well into her forties when she went for help.
"I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt if I did not do this, I would be a statistic,"Lorente said. "I would not have been alive long enough to even be here."
The abuse stopped.
Lorente stopped making excuses for the man's bad behavior and went to court.
It took Lorente 12 years to escape the abusive cycle, but she hopes others will listen to her story and get help soon.
"Our system will work for us,"Lorente told the audience members. "But we have to want the help."
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than fifteen thousand people reported being a victim of sexual violence in 2004.
However, there is help available.
"People who are victims of domestic violence should call the victims advocate, military police or the emergency room,"Chappell said. "If they call us, we can do either restrictive or unrestrictive reporting."
Restrictive reporting means the case stays out the of court system. The victim will receive the help needed and charges will not be pressed. However, unrestricted reporting means charges will be pressed and the abuser will be taken to court.
Although Family Services is here to help victims of domestic violence, they also offer programs to prevent these attacks from ever happening.
"Family Services is here to help the family and the Marine,"said Sharria Johnson, a victim advocate from Family Services. "We have these services available to prevent domestic violence from happening ahead of time."
Johnson used an analogy to describe their services.
"You don't wait for the tire to fall of the car to fix it,"Johnson said. "It's the same with abuse. You don't wait for it to happen."
Johnson and Chappell encourage Marines, sailors and their family members to use the services provided.
"We are not here to ruin someone's marriage or career,"Johnson said. "We are here to help."
Clinical counseling offers several services available to servicemembers and their families including individual and marriage counseling.
Anyone who is or knows someone who is a victim of domestic violence, can call the clinical counseling services at 228-2044 on Parris Island or 228-6126 on Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.
If an individual is in an abusive situation or has just recently been abused and is looking for a place to stay, they can call CODA's local domestic violence shelter at 770-1070.