First United Presbyterian Church in Guthrie hosted its third annual candlelight vigil Wednesday, honoring survivors and victims of domestic abuse with Wings of Hope, a family crisis service.
Attendees learned of a shocking statistic a the onset of the vigil: Oklahoma is the state with the highest domestic violence rate in the country for the third year in a row.
So far this year, 122 people have died as a result of domestic violence in Oklahoma, according to Reverend Katrina Richardson of First United Presbyterian.
Breaking down the statistics, she said, “49% of women and 41% of men have been, will be, or currently are victims of domestic violence.”
After dinner, a scripture reading from Logan County Sheriff Damon Devereaux and a message of hope and prayer from Minister Ruth Wooten and Senior Minister Ronnie Fields were held, as Native flutist Dennis Laughlin played peaceful melodies.
Wings of Hope helps victims of all types of abuse find stable housing, develop action plans and proceed through legal resources, such as court.
The organization also accepts food and clothing donations (donate at wingsofhopeok. com).
“[Domestic violence] destroys families, undermines trust and perpetuates cycles of abuse. I see this weekly in the halls of elementary schools here in Guthrie,” Lieutenant John Evans of the Logan County Sheriff ’s Office said.
“The issue isn’t just legal. It’s a moral imperative. It shows us that every victim of domestic violence deserves to feel safe, valued and heard. … It is our duty as law enforcement to be the voice for the voiceless and to stand in the way of those that seek to prey on them,” he said.
There are 639 purple flags fluttering in the front lawn of First United Presbyterian Church on Noble Avenue, each representing a domestic violence call made to law enforcement agencies and Wings of Hope in Logan County over the past year. That number is up from 576 a year ago.
“We’re definitely seeing trends where we’re getting busier; our numbers are up,” said Brandi White, the Executive Director at Wings of Hope. “A lot of that is associated with increasing mental illnesses and substance abuse. They come hand-in-hand here.”
Wings of Hope is headquartered in Stillwater, but now has a unit here in downtown Guthrie at 219 South Broad Street.
Their 24/7 domestic violence hotline is 800-624-3020 or 405-624-3020. To schedule an appointment at Wings of Hope in Guthrie, call 405-372-9922.