Sherburne County is proud to partner with the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women and Rivers of Hope as a member of the Live Free Without Violence flag campaign.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the tragic impact of domestic violence and foster community conversations about the topic.
Sherburne County displayed the Live Free Without Violence flag in January in memory of Sarah Cheshire and Linda Pa Vue, Minnesota’s last known victims of domestic violence homicide in 2017.
Sherburne County works closely with Rivers of Hope, which is a domestic and family abuse prevention non-profit in Monticello as well as the Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center in St. Cloud. Assistant Sherburne County Attorney Kevin Lin and Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Don Starry are board members at Rivers of Hope along with Judy Fadden.
“We have a great working relationship with Rivers of Hope, which is a valuable resource to our department when it comes to domestic violence,” said Sheriff Joel Brott. “We hope that joining this effort will get more people talking about preventing domestic violence.”
“The only means to break the cycle of violence is to break the silence. As a victim of abuse, you are repeatedly told that you are stupid, no one cares about you, you are worthless. You become isolated. If that is all you hear, then that is what you come to believe,” said County Attorney Kathleen Heaney. Rivers of Hope can be reached at 763-295-3433.
“So we as a community need to be the voice. We need to say: Violence is not tolerated. People are valued. You are valued. Together we can break the silence. Together we can break the cycle.”
Fadden helped get Sherburne County involved with the flag campaign.
“My goal is that all businesses in Wright and Sherburne Counties join the campaign and have a ‘LIVE FREE’ flag or decal available to display and create policies and programs to reduce violence,” Fadden said. “But a loftier goal is that the flags flown for domestic violence victims never have to be displayed in the future.”
At least 24 people were killed due to domestic violence in Minnesota in 2017. In 2016, MCBW documented 21 cases of intimate partner homicide.
While not all domestic violence ends in death, intimate partner homicides serve as a compelling reminder that domestic violence is a pervasive part of our society.
For more information about you can support the Live Free Without Violence Campaign, go to www.mcbw.org/livefreeflag.
