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Their tragedies speak for themselves. They tell why our United Way is committed to addressing domestic violence and why we support Lorain County Safe Harbor/Genesis House.

Janette, age 50
Janette was the mother of three children and worked in a pharmacy. Her husband tricked her into coming home early one day by saying their son had been arrested. After arriving home, she was shot by her husband who then committed suicide. She was murdered while calling for help.

Carla, age 22
Carla had one child, lived in Lorain. After enduring an abusive relationship with her boyfriend Carla asked him to move from their residence. She was shot twice in the chest during an argument with him,

Lisa, age 27
Lisa was the mother of two preschool daughters. She filed multiple complaints against her ex-husband for his repeated vandalism and harassment as well as for an assault against her the year after they divorced. When he broke into her home, she fled to a neighbor's for help. He broke in and gunned her down while she hid in a closet. She died from multiple gunshot wounds. He was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to death in the Ohio electric chair.

Durriyya, age 34
She lived in Oberlin. Her boyfriend shot her at his parent's house and then self-inflicted wounds to his body. He survived his injuries, but she did not.

Margaret, age 45
She lived in North Ridgeville. She died when her husband tracked her down and shot her in a crowded public establishment. He committed suicide the next day.

Stella, age 46
She lived in Vermilion. She was murdered when her estranged husband kicked the door in and shot her. After the incident, he went to a bar to announce what he had done.

Giovoni, age 33
She was a mother of four children and lived in Elyria. She was seeking a divorce from her husband when he broke in and stabbed her 13 times. Two of their children were at home at the time of the attack. Her teenage daughter witnessed the murder. Giovoni died with her children at her side.

Cathryn, age 37
She and her three children lived in Avon Lake. More than a year after breaking off the relationship with her boyfriend, they met to talk. In the car in an Avon Lake park, he shot and killed her, then killed himself.

Kimberly, age 24
She lived in Elyria and was struck more than a dozen times in the head with a hammer by her boyfriend. At the scene, her boyfriend admitted to officers that he killed her because he believed she had another boyfriend.

These women lived, worked and raised children in Lorain County. They were abused and brutally killed by someone who supposedly loved them. From the number and types of calls for help made to Safe Harbor/Genesis House and other agencies, it is clear that potential for such violence stalks many relationships today.

The scores of women and children currently receiving program services attest to that fact. Their accounts of physical and mental abuse speak to horrific situations. Their words paint a picture most unsettling: pain, suffering and terror for them and their children.

Safe Harbor/Genesis House is committed to alleviate such suffering. Its program mission is straightforward on that: To provide shelter for victims of domestic violence as well as crisis counseling, legal and hospital advocacy, support groups, children's support and aftercare community education. Thankfully, the past decade has seen the subject of domestic violence come out of the closet. And the scores of women and children currently receiving program services can attest that however bad a woman's situation might be, hope and a meaningful life are possible.

Just how meaningful was expressed to me following a talk on domestic violence I gave to a group of professional women. With a comment which spoke volumes about past trials endured and hope found, one attendee shared with me that: "This is the date I finally found the courage to go to Genesis House for help. I celebrate today as my real birthday. . . the day my new life began".

Lorain County Safe Harbor/Genesis House can be reached at (440) 323-3400 or 244-1853.

As printed in The Chronicle-Telegram 9/27/08