Brownsville’s Friendship of Women plans events, awareness activities during October

Friendship of Women, Inc., the community agency dedicated to preventing domestic violence and sexual assault, plans several events during October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“Our goal is to raise awareness on the issue that often remains hidden behind closed doors: domestic violence,” said Gloria Ocampo, Friendship of Women chief executive officer.

“Every year, every day that’s our mission. To be able to provide support, advocacy services and education for our community so people are aware of what’s going on, that this agency exists so we can provide that support that victims and survivors need,” she said.

“It’s kind of like a call to action. We want people to be able to support us, by letting people know what it is, that it’s not just physical abuse but there’s emotional abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse. And sometimes that can be a challenge in itself to have a conversation around those topics,” Ocampo added.

She said people can help by attending events throughout the year, but especially during October, which allow the agency to encourage advocacy efforts as well as raise funds.

Friendship of Women’s annual fundraising charity party, Witches, Ghouls & Brews, is from 7-11 p.m. Oct. 19 at Market Square in downtown Brownsville.

Ocampo said the event has two title sponsors this year, HEB and Calacas Tacos & Beer, in addition Pluton Brewing Company as the beverage sponsor.

“We’ve been blessed to have so much support. This year we’ve seen an increase in sponsorships,” she said.

Other awareness and community action events include:

>> Remember my Name exhibit Oct. 10-13 at the Brownsville Public Library Southmost Branch, 4320 Southmost Blvd.

The names and stories of domestic violence victims will be displayed in frames, including two from Brownsville. Kasandra Roquemore, who was 25, died Feb. 19, 2024. Jocelyn Morales, who was 22, died Aug. 16, 2023.

In Texas, there were 205 victims of domestic violence by intimate partner or stalking homicide during the past year, 179 women, 26 men and four LGBTQ individuals, statistics provided by FOW show.

The youngest victim was 15 and from Corpus Christi. The oldest was 88 and from Mission.

>> On Oct. 23 from 5:50 to 7 p.m., Friendship of Women will host an open house at its community center, 95 East Price Road in Brownsville.

“These events help us to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives due to domestic violence. It is a time to remember their stories and honor their memory,” Ocampo said in a statement to The Brownsville Herald.

“It also provides a platform for survivors to share their experiences, fostering a sense of community and solidarity,” she said.

Friendship of Women operates a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Cameron County.

“Cameron is a big county. We’ve seen our numbers increase. What we haven’t seen increase is our shelter capacity. This past year we have reached shelter capacity many, many times. It’s an eight-bedroom facility. It’s not enough for the amount of survivors that we have for our community,” Ocampo said.

“Staying at the shelter could be anywhere from a day to six months. … The need has grown tremendously, but our shelter hasn’t. The jails are overcrowded. Just think about why are those people there. In many cases, they’re there because of domestic violence,”

Each jailed perpetrator has a spouse and two or more children, who are left basically homeless, Ocampo added.

Friendship of Women has a paid staff of 32, plus volunteers, who number about 700 throughout the year, Ocampo and Sandy Paredes, the organization’s legal advocate, said.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month allows the agency to dispel myths about domestic violence and provide accurate information.

It also encourages advocacy efforts, prompts discussions about policy changes, funding for shelters, and legal protections for survivors, they said.