By Kaitlin Carman Asst. News Editor Voices Against Violence hosted its thirteenth annual Purple Passion 5K in Framingham on Saturday, Sept. 28. Voices Against Violence, which is a division of Southwest Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), provides free and confidential services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese to victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence in the MetroWest area regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. SMOC President and CEO Susan Gentili said, “The prevalence is so widespread, and the tragedies of year over year have increased, especially in Massachusetts, and so we're really wanting to raise awareness so that we can support how to get the word out that help is available.” Gentili asked for a moment of silence to honor the 90 victims of domestic violence who were killed in Massachusetts this past year. Sexual and domestic violence are “really scary things to go through, and we want them to reach out when they can and when it's safe to do so - so that we can offer them some options,” said Gentili. Framingham State has had a long-standing partnership with Voices Against Violence and has had a memorandum agreement with the organization since 2016, according to Kim Dexter, assistant vice president of Human Resources. The Purple Passion 5K is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year. The proceeds will help continue to support victims of sexual assault and domestic violence through funding services within the community. According to their website, these services include “a 24-hour hotline, crisis intervention, confidential short-term emergency shelter, counseling and support groups, information and referrals, and medical, legal, and criminal justice advocacy. “In addition … outreach and education to community groups and professionals, as well as primary prevention activities to address the root causes of violence and prevent the development of perpetration,” the website stated. Dexter, who has previously volunteered on the Purple Passion Planning Committee, said the University’s partnership with Voices Against Violence serves as a way to “ensure more effective services for our community, to bring the Voices Against Violence team to our campus, to make them available to our students, and also to allow us to provide them information about the University, our programs, or policies for them to be involved.” Dexter said, “In terms of the college population, we tend to really focus a lot of our prevention awareness efforts around things like sexual assault and rape, but we know from research and surveys that domestic and dating violence is happening in our community - red-flag relationship behaviors are happening. “So even if they're not rising to what we would kind of call the official definition of intimate partner violence, we're recognizing that some of the kinds of warning signs there are, and so it's critical that we have folks who can help,” added Dexter. FSU Communications Dispatcher and alumna Kianna Bauer said, “I was working with Voices Against Violence, with the SHAPE organization that we have on campus. … They mentioned this 5K, so naturally, the whole department wanted to do it and get involved. “We're excited to support everybody. And one thing about this race is some people who have experienced domestic violence may be driving by when they watch everybody run, and they can see all the support that they have,” added Bauer. Mayor Charlie Sisitsky said domestic violence “is a big problem in the country, and we need to recognize that, and we need to do all we can to raise funds and help people to stop domestic violence - support people who support … victims of domestic violence. “They shouldn't suffer in silence. They should reach out for help,” added Sisitsky. Carmen Rivera, a 5K participant and advocate for domestic violence survivors, said her advice for victims is “to love themselves. To choose themselves. To feel secure within themselves and to not be afraid, to reach out for help, because they're not alone. “It's not an impossible situation to get out of. It is possible. They're not alone in this process. Reach out for help, don’t be afraid, and don’t think that their voice doesn't matter. Their voice matters always, even when everything is happening,” added Rivera. If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual and or domestic violence reach out to the Voices Against Violence hotline at 1-800-593-1125.