Last year, the West Jordan Police Department received 1,229 domestic violence calls, a crime that has reached epidemic proportions nationwide. The South Valley Services’ Sanctuary helped 520 of those callers find shelter at their moments of crisis.

Together those entities marked the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month by creating  a visual display of 1,229 flags and 520 pinwheels in a section of the West Jordan Veterans Memorial Park off of 7800 South on Oct. 6. The display remained in place for a few weeks.

“This display is a sobering reminder of how many lives are impacted by domestic violence right here in Salt Lake County,” Lindsey Boyer said, executive director of South Valley Services. “Together with our partners, we are committed to raising awareness and ensuring that survivors have access to safety and support.” 

The visual installation is part of a series of local events designed to honor survivors, remember those lost to domestic violence and highlight community resources available to those in need. Similar displays adorn the grounds of other city halls and community parks in the Salt Lake Valley each October.

So far this year, approximately 10 million people in the United States have reported experiences with domestic violence, with 7.4 million of them being women. Every day, over 20,000 phone calls reporting domestic violence are made in the United States, and around 1 in 5 victims in homicide cases are killed by an intimate partner.

South Valley Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has served the local community since 1998, and is a survivor-centered organization where individuals impacted by domestic abuse and sexual violence can realize their strength, courage and resilience while on their path to an empowered future. You can learn more about its services at www.svsutah.org