BATH — Down at Sea Side Studios, people are taking domestic awareness to a whole new level — by having reminders etched permanently into their skin.

As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, dozens of Midcoast residents went to Sea Side Studios to have purple ribbons and other domestic violence awareness symbolism tattooed in support of the cause. Proceeds from each tattoo went directly to New Hope for Women — an organization in Bath that works on domestic violence issues in the Midcoast.

Last year, Sea Side Studios offered the tattoos through the entire month of October, with all the proceeds going to New Hope for Women. This year, to maximize the impact, the organization and the studio decided to focus on a single day.

“This kind of makes it a whole event,” said Mary Hanley of New Hope for Women. “I think this is going to be a yearly thing.”

Hanley said events like Domestic Violence Awareness Month are essential to destigmatizing the issue, allowing victims to speak more openly and seek help from organizations like New Hope for Women.

“There’s a big stigma around domestic violence,” she said. “People are ashamed. Victims feel that it’s their fault. They don’t share with anybody.

Groups like New Hope for Women and awareness efforts like the tattoos are means of helping victims connect with resources and support networks that can help them, said Steve Edmondson, a domestic violence investigator with the Sagadahoc County District Attorney’s Office

“I’ve been working with New Hope for Women since they came to Sagadahoc County several years ago,” said Edmondson. “They’re a great organization and great people to work with, and I wanted to do something to support them.”

According to the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men has experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner.

“The biggest obstacle we have in prosecuting domestic violence is the women who are victimized often feel like they’re alone,” said Edmondson. “They’re often unaware of the resources out there that can help them.”

Another part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month is to educate people and dispel popular myths. For instance, despite stereotypes, not all victims are female.

“I want to stress the fact that it’s not just women — it’s men too,” said Chrisina Hughes of Sea Side Studios, who said she’s a survivor of domestic abuse. “But I think with men they have that stigma, like boys don’t cry. They can’t come forward.”

The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence claims that even though most domestic violence is committed against women, “26 percent of gay men, 37 percent of bisexual men, and 29 percent of heterosexual men experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime.”

Despite their name, New Hope for Women also works with male victims.

Hughes said the tattoo day had already lead to a few people reaching out about the issue. Hughes said she had been messaged by someone claiming to have been abused as a child and was currently in an abusive relationship. Because of the event, that person was emboldened to reach out to her, and she was able to refer them to New Hope for Women.

Edmondson was one of dozens of people to get tattooed Thursday.

“This was a win at all levels,” said Edmondson. “First of all, I get an excuse to get another tattoo. It helps bring awareness to Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the month of October. And the proceeds are going to New Hope for Women, which is obviously important.

Edmondson hoped his small act would help raise awareness among victims, as did Gary Carr who saw the event on Facebook and decided to support the effort.

“It’s a good cause,” said Carr. “When people ask me about it, then I can talk about it.”

Others, like CJ Stewart of Westport Island, had more personal reasons to get a tattoo and support New Hope for Women.

“I was abused when I was younger, by my ex-husband,” said Stewart. “And I try to help other people. It doesn’t usually work. They don’t always want to listen, just like I didn’t want to listen, but I like to do what I can.”

“I’m sure a lot of people will say ‘What does that mean?’” said Stewart, pointing at her freshly tattooed wrist. “And I can tell them what it means and they’ll understand.”

Even as Carr and Stewart were leaving with their new ink, more people were walking in to get their domestic violence tattoos. According to Hughes, they had more people interested than they could get through in a single day.

“We have 67 interested just in today,” she said. “We’re going to stay as long as we can.”

nstrout@timesrecord.com

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