‘Take back the night’ shines light on domestic violence
By Janet Lundquist jlundquist@stmedianetwork.com October 4, 2012 10:11PM
Connor Lindaur, center, holds a light during a candlelight vigil during the Will County Take Back the Night rally at First Assembly of God church in Joliet, IL on Thursday October 4, 2012. With him from left are his sisters, Taylor and Kailey Lindaur. | Matt Marton~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: November 6, 2012 6:06AM
The crowd marched along Essington Road in the dark, holding lights and banners and signs.
Women, men and children came together in the cold rain Thursday night in a show of strength for victims of violence.
The 16th annual Will County Take Back the Night sought to illuminate the dark problem of domestic violence and provide support for families and friends of its victims.
It was too difficult for Donna Abrams to say what she was feeling Thursday. The last day anyone saw her baby sister, Robin, alive was 22 years ago Thursday night.
Robin Abrams, 28, a former Will County Sheriff’s Deputy, disappeared Oct. 4, 1990, after leaving her parents’ home in Beecher for an evening out.
No one was ever charged in her disappearance. Her family — and prosecutors — believe an abusive relationship she was in may have had a lot to do with it.
Abrams and her family members marched with others holding signs and banners, and wearing paper star pendants printed with the names of loved ones who were victims of violence.
“You can’t give up hope,” said Will County State’s Attorney Jim Glasgow, who earlier in the evening introduced the event’s keynote speaker, Linda King of helpfixthehurt.org.
“That’s why coming to these rallies is important,” Glasgow said. “It brings attention to these cases that need to be prosecuted.”
Cases such as Abrams’ and that of Lisa Stebic, a mother of two who vanished from her Plainfield home in April 2007. Police named her husband, Craig Stebic, a person of interest in her disappearance. Stebic has not been charged in the case.
Glasgow mentioned both in his remarks, and said his office “will never rest” until the cases are solved.
He was interrupted by applause when he mentioned the recent conviction of Drew Peterson for the 2004 murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.
“I’m pleased to be here on behalf of my sister and all the women,” said Savio’s sister Sue Doman, before the event. She attended the rally with her husband, Mitch, and sister Anna Doman.
Linda King founded the Arizona-based domestic violence awareness and prevention organization Help Fix the Hurt in 2007. She told the story of her daughter, Lisa, who was beaten to death by her ex-husband in 2001. He eventually was imprisoned for the crime, but was later released.
Last week, King said, she read a news report of the same man being arrested for choking another woman as the woman’s 11-year-old son watched.
“I’ve learned a lot over the last eleven years,” King said. Last week she called the woman who was choked by her daughter’s killer to offer her help. Thursday night, she called on people in the community to help victims of violence, to learn to listen.
Besides the annual rally, Will County Take Back the Night raises money for local domestic violence shelters. In 2011, the organization raised $5,000 for local non-profit groups that provide help for women and children affected by violence.
For more information about Take Back the Night or domestic violence resources, visit willtbtn.com.
