By Alberto Suris
Rumbo News
LAWRENCE — As the City of Lawrence continues to grieve over recent deaths linked to domestic violence, this year’s annual “Brides’ March” offered a much-needed opportunity to foster awareness and healing from the crisis of domestic violence.
The Brides’ March is a walk held each year in a number of different states, including Massachusetts, where women wear wedding dresses or all white in memory of Gladys Ricart, a Dominican immigrant who was murdered on her wedding day by her estranged boyfriend 11 years ago in New Jersey.
More than a decade since Gladys Ricart’s murder, domestic violence remains a crisis – more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends every day in the US, according to www. domesticviolencestatistics.org.
Brides’ March is a powerful event that honors the victims of domestic violence by raising awareness to help stop the violence.
On Monday, September 26, 2011, in Lawrence, more than 200 marchers met at the 114 Plaza in Lawrence and walked all the way to the Lawrence Senior Center, located at 155 Haverhill St., Lawrence, MA. Men show their support at the event by marching and wearing black.
Every year, the event is sponsored by Delamano, Inc., in collaboration with the YWCA of Greater Lawrence, the City of Lawrence Mayor’s Health Task Force, and the City of Lawrence Senior Center.
Wedding gowns for this year Brides’ March were donated by “Over the Rainbow” consignment store in Beverly, MA.
