Crowds dance, rise to stop violence against women

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Hundreds of men and women rallied in downtown Springfield on Thursday to protest violence against women.

Organizers of the Western MA Rising event at Tower Square told the crowd that one in five women in the United States have been raped in their lifetime. The rally was one of many across the world to coincide with the One Billion Rising campaign against anti-woman violence.

Jessica Usher of Holyoke told 22News that she lost a cousin to an act of domestic violence.

“She was murdered by her boyfriend. It's been a hard thing. She tried to leave him and she did,” Usher said.

Camille Castro said she lost her closest friend last week, when the father of Julie Treadwell's children killed the 26 year old Springfield woman at her Wellington Street home, before turning the gun on himself . A third person, former Springfield star athlete Mike Vaz, was wounded in the incident.

“You only have one life. She was a beautiful mother. We need to get across the message you know what you mean life is definitely worth living,” Castro said.

Organizers of Western MA Rising urged everyone to discuss domestic violence and its impact.  They estimate one out of every three women will be a victim of violence in their lifetime.