Bart Doan
INDIANAPOLIS — The statistics are chilling to Beacon of Hope’s Executive Director Terry Moore: One in four women is effected by domestic violence; every nine seconds, a woman is being abused.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but Moore and others work year-round to get the word out that this a problem that needs to be addressed.
Beacon of Hope’s Pampering for a Purpose night returns as a way to let women experience a night catering to themselves while learning about how to curb the alarming trends.
The event is from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel, 2544 Executive Drive, off of the I-465 Dan Jones Expressway exit. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.
Beacon of Hope is a domestic violence center on the west side of Indianapolis that helps women and children who have been affected by domestic violence. The agency provides counseling, advice, placement assistance, and even help with re-homing pets so victims can leave their abusers without the guilt of leaving their pet behind.
“We were having domestic violence rallies in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness month, and we decided we wanted to do an event to really focus on the women and how we can get them out to these events,” Moore said. “So we brainstormed and came up with the idea that all women like to be pampered. This will be our ninth one.”
She said about 100 people normally attend the event, which includes a multitude of stations where women can experience different forms of relaxation and pampering events. Women ages 12 and older are welcome, tickets are $40 each, and attire is casual.
“The two favorite stations are always the manicures and the massages,” Moore said. “Those are the ones people head to the fastest. Women don’t always take care of themselves, so when we have an evening like this, this is what we go to.”
There are also stations for yoga, beauty makeovers, jewelry making, and new this year, a professional photo booth with props.
“This is a stressful world we live in and we, as women, are the moms and grandmas that wear a lot of different hats,” Moore said. “Sometimes we overlook the fact that we need to take care of ourselves such as pampering, just to recharge the batteries so we can be better for others.”
Still, while the night has a positive, relaxing outlook to it, the underscored meaning for it all is to raise awareness for the increasing problem of domestic violence as well as remember those who have fallen victim.
“One of the important aspects of the Pampering for a Purpose night is to remember the women, men, and children who lost their lives to domestic violence,” Moore said. “Therefore, we hold a candlelight vigil as we read off the names of the victims.
“We started this back in 2009. We have project banners, and they have the victims’ characteristics on them, date of birth, date of death, pictures of the victims, and a characteristic about them from what their families said about them. One of the things I’ve heard more than anything (over the years) is that people are glad to learn that there’s an organization such as Beacon of Hope which they are able to spread the word about us. I’ve also heard that one of the most moving touches of the entire evening is the candlelight vigil because some day, God forbid, that could be their mother or daughter or grandson or granddaughter. I think everybody needs to be a part of it.”
But Moore said the event is meant to be a positive one.
“It’s a very fun event,” she said. “Everyone leaves there much rejuvenated. They’re very relaxed and they’re more aware of what’s going on in their community than when they walked in the door.”
She said they encourage attendees to wear purple or teal, colors representative of the fight against domestic violence.
In September, Beacon of Hope was part of a nationwide campaign called No More Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault that Mayor Greg Ballard has been fully behind.
“We want to say ‘no more,’” she said. “This is it. Enough is enough.”
Sadly, though, not everyone has gotten the message. Moore said crisis calls have been rapidly increasing this year. She loves that Beacon of Hope is there to help, but wishes people would get the message that domestic violence is not right.
“There is no slow down that I see in sight, especially when we just lost another woman,” Moore said.
Proceeds from the Night of Pampering go to move Beacon of Hope’s programs forward.
For more information or to sign up to attend the event, visit the website at www.beaconofhopeindy.org. Registration, which is required, may also be made by sending a check or money order to Beacon of Hope Center for Women, Pampering for a Purpose, P.O. Box 34318, Indianapolis, IN 46234.
