Rockland County-Based Domestic Violence Center Marking Milestone With Fundraiser
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A group dedicated to assisting victims of domestic violence in New York and New Jersey is marking a milestone.
The Center for Safety and Change was first established in Rockland County in 1979, when a group of feminists and nuns got together to run a hotline and a shelter, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.
Executive director Carolyn Fish said the issues that people face have changed over the years and are far more complex, but the mission remains the same.
"We really work in two separate areas -- one is intervention, but then there's also prevention," said Fish.
Recently, the NFL's domestic violence troubles have brought the serious issue to light.
"It's putting the issue on the table that everyone has a responsibility to stop and to speak up," Fish said.
Calls to the center's hotline have increased since video of former Baltimore Ravens running Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée in an elevator became public.
"We have to be honest and address this issue," Fish said. "That's what everyone has to do."
A fundraiser marking the center's 35th anniversary will be held Saturday.
The event is hosted by WCBS 880's morning anchor Pat Carroll, and will feature actors Lorraine Bracco, James Naughton, Didi Conn, Ellen Burstyn and Susan Sarandon.
It will be held at the Cultural Arts Center Theater at Rockland Community College.
For tickets and more information visit www.centerforsafetyandchange.org.
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