Men were at the forefront by marching together in unity through the streets of Joliet on Friday to bring attention to violence against women.
The Zonta Club of the Joliet Area commemorated the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence with a March and Rally in downtown Joliet that started at Slammer’s Field and ended up in the green space where the old Will County courthouse stood. Among those who braved the cold on the day of action against gender-based violence were members of Guardian Angel Community Services and Jan Quillman and Cesar Guerrero of the Joliet City Council.
Bonnie Winfrey, club president, said it has been a tradition for the club to educate the public about the 16 Days of Activism from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10. Social media posts, a Pledge to Say No, and podcast have all been instrumental in reaching out to the public, she added.
She credited co-chairs Essence Clark and Sylvia Acosta Chavez for making this event become a community project.
“Zonta is on the move,” said Winfrey. “Globally, we are working hard to change the statistics regarding violence against women. We come against the numbers that reflect every 10 minutes a woman is killed, and every 10 minutes 229 girls are forced into child marriages.
“During our Say NO to Violence March and Rally, for the first time in our community, men are coming together to take center stage to lead and support our mission to combat violence targeting women and girls. We are so thankful for our community’s commitment to stand with Zonta during our 16 Days of Activism.”
Winfrey said there is a reason why everyone is welcome to the event.
“By involving everyone in the Joliet area to this event, we will be coming together to show that this is not ‘someone else’s problem’ and we can no longer ignore the impact of gender-based violence in our community,” she said.
“Gender-based violence is everyone’s concern. In the United States, over 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. And, 1 in 3 teens experience dating violence each year, regardless of gender. “
Additionally, 70 percent of women who experience domestic violence are more likely to have heart disease and 80 percent are more likely to experience a stroke.
Among those at the march was Bob Siminiak of Joliet.
“I have had family members who experienced domestic violence, so this is so important for me to march in unity,” he said. “Events like this really bring to life the tragedy of domestic violence and shows people there are placed they can turn to for help.”
The Zonta Club of the Joliet Area is a part of Zonta International, a non-governmental agency. The club is dedicated to making a better world for women and girls through community service and fundraising for scholarships for women and girls. Anyone interested in membership can visit www.jolietzonta.org.
