Turning Point vigil honors victims of domestic, intimate partner abuse – The Brown and White

Report on Community Vigil Addressing Domestic Violence in Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Event Overview and Contribution to SDG 5

On Thursday, the non-profit organization Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley held its annual vigil at Mountaintop Campus to honor victims of domestic and intimate partner abuse and to raise public awareness. This initiative directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), by working to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (Target 5.2). The event served as a platform for survivors and advocates, reinforcing the community’s commitment to creating safe and equitable environments. The vigil honored the 10 individuals who died from such violence in the Lehigh Valley in 2024-25, highlighting the urgent need for action.

Initiatives for Awareness and Well-being: Supporting SDG 3

The event featured several components designed to raise awareness and provide support, aligning with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which aims to promote mental health and well-being. The physical and psychological trauma resulting from abuse is a significant public health issue.

• The Clothesline Project: A visual display of T-shirts created by survivors of abuse, which served to bring awareness to the realities of violence.
• Designated Support Areas: The venue included a candle-lit memorial for victims and rooms where local organizations offered resources to the approximately 175 attendees.
• Survivor Testimonies: Speakers shared personal stories of survival and recovery, emphasizing the importance of support systems. One speaker, Cass Noelle, highlighted the therapeutic role of music in her healing process, underscoring the focus on mental health recovery.

Institutional Support and Access to Justice: Advancing SDG 16

Turning Point’s comprehensive services exemplify the principles of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable institutions. The organization’s work is critical in reducing all forms of violence (Target 16.1) and ensuring access to legal recourse (Target 16.3).

1. Comprehensive Services: Turning Point offers a range of critical resources to those impacted by abuse.
   • 24-hour helpline
   • Safe house facilities
   • Empowerment counseling
   • Legal advocacy
2. Legal Advocacy in Practice: A survivor’s testimony detailed the process of filing a Protection For Abuse (PFA) order, illustrating the organization’s role in helping victims navigate the legal system to ensure their safety.
3. Education and Prevention: Panayiota Papadopoulos, a training and education advocate, emphasized the importance of educating the public on recognizing the various forms of abuse (emotional, physical, financial, sexual) to enable early intervention.

Community Collaboration: Fostering SDG 17

The success of the vigil and the broader mission of Turning Point are dependent on strong community engagement, reflecting the importance of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The collaboration between different community entities is essential for achieving sustainable progress in combating domestic violence.

• Academic Partnership: Lehigh University’s Break the Silence, a peer-education organization, was present as a community partner, providing resources and information on relationship violence.
• Community Pledge: Break the Silence displayed a banner with handprints from individuals pledging to not commit violence, symbolizing a collective community commitment to the cause.
• Executive Acknowledgment: Lori Sywensky, Turning Point’s executive director, concluded the event by acknowledging the resilience of survivors and reaffirming the organization’s mission to support individuals taking brave steps toward safety and recovery, a mission made possible through community support.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article connects to SDG 3 by highlighting the severe mental and emotional health consequences of domestic violence. It mentions the complex emotions survivors experience, such as sorrow, guilt, and relief, and discusses recovery through support services like “empowerment counseling” and therapeutic outlets like music. The work of Turning Point aims to restore the well-being of individuals impacted by abuse.
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article directly addresses issues central to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Domestic and intimate partner violence is a primary manifestation of gender inequality. The article discusses various forms of abuse—”emotional, physical, financial or sexual”—and the efforts of organizations like Turning Point and Break the Silence to spread awareness and support survivors, which are crucial steps in eliminating violence against women and girls.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • SDG 16 is relevant as the article discusses violence, its lethal consequences, and the role of justice and support systems. It mentions a vigil for victims who died from abuse, highlighting the need to reduce violence. Furthermore, it touches upon the justice system through the mention of “legal advocacy” and a survivor’s experience with a “Protection For Abuse order,” pointing to the need for effective institutions that protect citizens and provide access to justice.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • The article’s focus on recovery, hope, and the provision of “empowerment counseling” and a “24-hour helpline” by Turning Point directly relates to the promotion of mental health and well-being for survivors of abuse. The survivor’s story of using music as therapy further underscores this connection.
2. Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
   • This target is central to the article. The entire piece is about bringing awareness to and supporting survivors of “domestic and intimate partner abuse.” The mention of different forms of violence (emotional, physical, financial, sexual) and the work of organizations dedicated to helping those impacted by abuse directly align with the goal of eliminating such violence.
3. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
   • The article explicitly connects to this target by stating that the vigil “honored the 10 people who died from domestic and intimate partner abuse in the Lehigh Valley in 2024-25.” This highlights the lethal consequences of violence and the community’s effort to remember victims and, by extension, advocate for the reduction of such violence.
4. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
   • This target is addressed in the personal story of the speaker, Cass Noelle, who “had to file a Protection For Abuse order against her husband to protect herself and their child.” This action demonstrates the need to protect children from the effects of domestic violence.
5. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
   • The article points to this target through the services offered by Turning Point, which include “legal advocacy.” The survivor’s account of filing a “Protection For Abuse order” is a direct example of a victim accessing the justice system for protection, even though the article also notes the order was “consistently violated,” indicating challenges in enforcing the rule of law.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 5.2 (Implied): Prevalence of different forms of violence.
   • The article implies the need to measure the prevalence of violence by identifying its various forms. Panayiota Papadopoulos states, “Whether it’s emotional, physical, financial or sexual abuse… it’s important to recognize violence doesn’t happen in just one way.” The existence of organizations like Turning Point and the stories of survivors serve as qualitative indicators of the ongoing problem of intimate partner violence.
2. Indicator for Target 16.1 (Direct): Number of victims of intentional homicide.
   • The article provides a direct, quantifiable indicator related to violence and death rates. It states that the vigil honored “the 10 people who died from domestic and intimate partner abuse in the Lehigh Valley in 2024-25.” This specific number serves as a local measure of violence-related deaths.
3. Indicator for Target 16.3 (Implied): Access to justice mechanisms.
   • The availability of “legal advocacy” services and the specific mention of a survivor filing a “Protection For Abuse order” can be used as an indicator of victims’ access to formal justice systems. The number of such orders filed or the number of individuals receiving legal support could be tracked to measure progress.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thebrownandwhite.com