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San Jose City Hall’s tower will glow in purple light throughout October in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over a hundred people gathered in the rotunda to kick-off the lighting sponsored by Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence in Santa Clara County.
Speakers included San Jose City Councilmembers Magdalena Carrasco, Pam Foley, Maya Esparza, and Sylvia Arenas. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Sharon A. Chatman also spoke.
Rick Beatty, co-founder of The Alessandra Foundation, spoke last about the importance of the event. He encouraged each member of the audience to bring five people to next years event, he promised to bring 20. Beatty’s daughter, Alessandra Barlas, an aspiring nurse, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in downtown San Jose in 2015.
Esther Peralez-Dieckmann, executive director of Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence in Santa Clara County, told The Mercury News in 2018, that she encourages anyone experiencing domestic violence to reach out to an agency like hers, and stresses that staffers will tailor a response and safety plan to each victim. Most offer 24-hour hotlines and shelter services if a victim needs to exit a situation immediately.
