The Power of Connection

Why communities must talk about what’s hardest to hear.

This past October in Shorewood, Wisconsin, something unprecedented happened. Leaders, advocates, and neighbors gathered for an honest discussion about domestic violence — a subject that often hides in silence. The theme of the evening was “The Power of Connection,” and it brought together a panel of voices from the Sojourner Family Peace Center, the Alma Center, the Shorewood Police Department, the Village of Shorewood and the Shorewood School District.

What stood out wasn’t just the facts and figures, though hearing that one in three women and one in four men experience domestic violence was sobering, but the message that connection itself is the way forward.

Carmen Pitre, the executive director of the Sojourner Family Peace Center reminded us that safety begins long before the police are called. “If police are responding,” she said, “we’ve already failed to support that person.” Those words speak to the idea that prevention starts with community where each of us creates doorways to empathy and trust.

Other speakers echoed this theme from their own vantage points: law enforcement, education, counseling, and local government. Each described how change depends not on one system alone but on relationships — listening, believing, and showing up.

Two survivors also shared their stories, reminding everyone that healing is possible when communities choose to see and support rather than judge or turn away. Their courage illuminated what connection does: it saves lives and restores dignity.

Domestic violence doesn’t live “somewhere else.” It lives everywhere. And the silence around it allows it to thrive. When communities create spaces to talk – in schools, libraries, coffee shops, or town halls they make it harder for violence to hide.

If you’re part of a community organization, consider starting one of these discussions. Invite your local advocates, schools, and leaders. Ask hard questions together. Share resources publicly.

Every time we talk about what’s hard to talk about, someone who’s been waiting in silence might finally feel seen.

Connection saves lives. Conversation makes healing possible.