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Victims of domestic violence crimes honored in New Haven

NEW HAVEN —  October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In honor of the victims of domestic violence, The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Service...

NEW HAVEN --  October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

In honor of the victims of domestic violence, The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services hosted “Sound of Hope” Wednesday, an event to raise awareness of domestic violence crimes.

Bag pipes played while purple daisies were handed out to all in attendance at the Long Wharf Pier in New Haven. The crowd was made up of police officers, community leaders, prosecutors of domestic violence crimes, and family members of the victims of those crimes.

“She was a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a sister-in-law, a cousin, a lawyer, a human being,” Salvatore Nesci said while he spoke candidly before the crowd about his sister’s murder.

Nesci’s sister was Loredana Nesci who was stabbed to death in July of 2015 at the hands of her longtime boyfriend. Loredana was a graduate of both the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University, a former Los Angeles police officer, and a hard-hitting attorney with her own television show on Sundance T.V.

“She was larger than life, she was very dynamic, energetic, caring, loving, she loved life,” Salvatore said about his late sister.

Loredana’s father John Nesci, also attended the event where he spoke with sadness in his eyes about the loss of his daughter.

“I cannot describe in detail all the good qualities that she had. The only thing I can do now is think about them and remain with a pain in my heart,” John said.

Loredana also left behind a son, who was five at the time of her death. He is now being cared for by his aunt and uncle.

“Every day I’m reminded of her energy and her vibrancy, because it’s reflected in him although she’s gone a part of her still remains,” Salvatore said.

Nationally, violence involving an intimate partner accounts for 15 percent of all violent crimes, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The same research shows that one in three women, and one in four men, have been victims of some kind of physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

“Those are just the numbers reported this is a very under-reported issue. It’s mind boggling when you look at the data,” Salvatore explained.

He went on to say he urges anyone who thinks their loved one is a victim of domestic violence, to speak up.

“The last thing you can do is remain silent if you know that there is something going on it’s not going to get better it’s going to get worse and you have to reach in and you have to help those people because they feel extremely isolated, vulnerable,” he said.

For ways you can help with a matter of domestic violence, click here.

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