DA raises domestic violence awareness

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The Hampden County District Attorney's office hosted a domestic violence community awareness forum Wednesday night at Western New England University.

Melissa Doran of the D.A.'s Domestic Violence  Unit told 22News, "It takes a victim of abuse many times of being abused before they ever come forward and seek help."

About one hundred people attended the forum at Western New England University's Law School.  Doran said the message for victims is that the DA's office, police and organizations stand ready to help, "And no victim is any more or less important than any other.  So we give all the cases, all the victims that we work with the attention that they need, and that they deserve to try to get out of these relationships because it is such a difficult thing to do."

Wednesday night's keynote speaker, Pennsylvania Detective Dierdri Fishel will present the domestic violence documentary "Telling Amy's Story" Thursday afternoon at two O'clock at the  Tower Square Community Room at 1500 Main Street in Springfield.  While the presentation is for the District Attorney's Domestic Violence Task Force, the public is invited.