Silent figures raise awareness Published Oct. 18, 2007 By Staff Sgt. Amanda Callahan 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- As Warriors of the North have passed through the main gate, most have noticed the red displays in the shape of women along the road. These displays are just one way the base is hoping to raise awareness of domestic violence. The displays are part of The Silent Witness Project, a memorial honoring people who were murdered in acts of domestic violence. Each silhouette on base represents a person murdered by an intimate partner in North Dakota. They are red to symbolize blood--"the one way we are all united ...," according to the North Dakota Council on Abused Women's Services. "The staff [here] was aware and familiar with [the project]," said Capt. Jenny McCorkle, 319th Medical Group. "We shared in the idea." According to Captain McCorkle, the silhouettes will move to different facilities around base to reach as many people as possible. "If domestic violence exists at all, it is a problem," she stated. Although she admitted statistics of domestic violence throughout the Air Force are slightly skewed due to under reporting and other situations, there were 4,419 incidents of domestic violence cases reported to crisis intervention centers in North Dakota in 2003. Captain McCorkle also acknowledged that men can be victims of domestic violence. "Granted, the majority of offenders are men, but women can certainly be the offenders as well," she revealed. In fact, one of the silhouettes on base is in honor of a man killed by his wife. "Domestic violence does not just happen to women and children." The signs of domestic violence vary almost as much as the victims. "I would caution people not to assume they know how someone acts in a relationship based on how they perform at work," the captain said. She's careful to avoid listing signs to look out for, since there are already so many stereotypes surrounding the issue. In addition to The Silent Witness Project, Family Advocacy is encouraging base members to attend two events in Grand Forks to help increase awareness of domestic violence. Jackson Katz, one of America's leading anti-sexist male activists, will speak at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 in the Empire Arts Theater. Mike Domitrz, a leading expert on healthy dating, consent, date rape and sexual assault awareness, will speak from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Nov. 15 at Red River High School. "We're here to help people learn healthier ways of living and interacting with one another," Captain McCorkle said. "If people aren't comfortable coming to us, there are several other agencies on base and downtown that are also available." Some of those agencies are chaplains, Family Advocacy, the sexual assault prevention and response coordinator, the Community Violence Intervention Center and, in the event of an immediate emergency, 911. "Domestic violence is everyone's business," she said. "Knowledge and education is one way to help prevent one more victim." For more information on The Silent Witness Project, go to www.violenceresource.org.