YWCA's Week Without Violence ends with rally at statehouse

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) - The YWCA of Northeast Kansas held its Week Without Violence campaign during the week of Oct. 18-24. The week concluded with a rally at the Kansas State Capitol.

YWCA of Northeast Kansas CEO, Kathleen Marker addressed the group and introduced Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla as guest speaker.

Week Without Violence is part of a global movement to end violence against women and girls across the country and around the world. Not all violence is acknowledged or responded to equally. That’s why YWCA sets aside one week in October as a Week Without Violence.

"30% of Kansas women and 23% of Kansas men experience intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner sexual violence and/or intimate partner stalking in their lifetimes," Marker said.

Here are some resources and organizations for women experiencing violence:

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline
  • Esta organización tiene recursos disponibles en español aquí
• YWCA of Northeast Kansas helpline and information
• Kansas Crisis Hotline: 1-888-363-2287
  • This resource provides a Kansas hotline as well as specified hotlines for 25 different regions of the state.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, between 1992 and 2012, Kansas law enforcement increased the arrest rate in domestic violence-related incidents from 31% to 54%. In 2013, Kansas law enforcement agencies reported responding to 23,508 domestic violence incidents. There were 30 domestic violence homicides in Kansas in 2013, comprising 25% of total Kansas homicides.