IMMOKALEE, Fla. — October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the Shelter for Abused Women and Children marched in honor of Collier County victims in Immokalee Monday night.

The shirts hang on a rope in the lobby of The Shelly Stayer Shelter and represent women affected by violence.

People staying at the Immokalee shelter made the shirts with empowering quotes like “no más violencia.”

Shelter Prevention Supervisor Melinda organized the project and several other events in Collier County this month.

Monday night they walked in the first annual March to End Domestic Violence in Immokalee.

“The fact that we’re able to march here to … create awareness that domestic violence is still here,” Melinda said.

She mentioned what happened in Immokalee last fall.

The sheriff’s office says Immokalee mother Laura Candida was killed by her ex-boyfriend.

Norma Rodriguez, the Shelter’s Immokalee manager, said the march honors Laura and the 80 lives lost to domestic violence in Collier County since 1993.

Rodriguez said, “It’s very important for them to see us, especially advocating for domestic violence to end domestic violence, so I think that’s something very important.”

Watch Immokalee Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades’ report below:

‘IT’S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO SEE US’: March to End Domestic Violence Raises Awareness in Immokalee

Rodriguez grew up in Immokalee and loves being able to provide resources that didn’t exist years ago.

“It was very shameful. People didn’t talk about it, from a Hispanic cultural point of view and Haitian Creole culture, so people just don’t talk about it. There are things that happen behind closed doors and unfortunately for a long time no one was doing anything about it,” she added.

The Shelly Stayer Shelter opened in 2020 and offers services in Spanish and Creole. It can accommodate 60 people and there is space for children and pets.

They will never turn away a family in need, Rodriguez said.

To end the cycle of domestic violence, the shelter prioritizes education and awareness.

Rodriguez said, “If we don’t educate our children and the public, then one of these things is a behavior that will continue and not stop.”

As part of her prevention work, Melinda does educational sessions about domestic violence in local schools. She emphasized that domestic violence is not just physical abuse. It includes emotional, mental, financial abuse and more.

Because when you break the silence as one attendee wrote on one of the shirts in the lobby “from concrete that knew it could grow a flower.”

If you or someone you know needs help, call the shelter’s hotline at (239) 775-1101. Find more information about shelter resources here.