NORWICH — The 11th Annual Catholic Charities Celebration of Women was held Thursday at the Artists’ Palette in downtown Norwich.

Guest speakers at the event included Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride and Ivory Henderson, a domestic violence survivor.

The event’s goals were to enlighten women, empower and educate women to provide them with a greater knowledge of the services available to them in Chenango County.

April Conant, a Crime Victim’s Advocate with Catholic Charities of Chenango County (CCOC) said the event was open to all genders, anyone who may be looking for further information on how to deal with domestic violence issues.

“We’re here to provide education about the services available to those who may be victims of domestic violence,” Conant said. “At this event we’ve featured home-based businesses that may empower women.”

In past years, the event was held at Howard Johnson’s in Norwich. This year, in an attempt to provide a more intimate atmosphere, the Artists’ Palette was selected as the venue. Owner Jill Kraft is also on the board at CCOC.

“Plus, change is always good,” Conant said.

Conant said more women in the area come to CCOC to report abuse than men as men may feel some sort of stigma about reporting abuse. She said domestic violence affects children, women and men.

Per information provided at the event one in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime, and women ages 20-24 are at the greatest risk of becoming victims of domestic violence. Additionally, more than 3 million children each year are witnesses to domestic violence within their home.

According to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, domestic violence is currently the third leading cause of homelessness among families.

Ivory Henderson spoke regarding her experiences with domestic violence. She is the founder of OneVoice4You, where victims are able to reach out and speak out.

Henderson said she would like to get into school to educate children about domestic violence, so children know to tell someone if they see something happening at home.

“I would also like to put a focus on silent victims and incarcerated families,” Henderson said. “Even when people are locked up, they can be so controlling.”

Henderson hopes to be an independent advocate for those in need, and she said it is in the works for workshops to take place to raise additional awareness within the community.

McBride extended gratitude to those in attendance for inviting him to speak at the Celebration of Women, as October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“It is my understanding that there are victims of such crimes in the audience, and I would like to thank them for being in attendance and honorable sharing their story to further increase awareness of this problem in our community,” McBride said.

He added that the District Attorney’s Office’s past success in convicting domestic violence offenders would not have been possible without the aid of CCOC and local law enforcement.

“October’s designation as Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a tradition that spans over 27 years, McBride said. He added it works to bring forth an issue that affects “an unacceptable about of Americans, as well as residents of this county.”

McBride referred to statements made at the White House about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “In their statement at the beginning of October, the White House declared that Domestic Violence Awareness Month ‘acknowledges the progress made in reducing these shameful crimes, embraces the basic human right to be free from violence and abuse, and recognizes that more work remains until every individual is able to live free from fear.’”

“Locally I commend Catholic Charities of Chenango County for continuing these and further efforts year round,” McBride said. “Though Catholic Charities’ safe houses, crisis intervention services, support groups, and numerous other programs, this agency provides invaluable support to victims of domestic violence in our community.”