Partnerships lit up the night during Redondo Beach’s Tenth Annual Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil.
The vigil is organized each year by the Redondo Beach Police Department’s Domestic Violence Victims Advocacy program, which provides support to victims and survivors of domestic violence incidents in and around Redondo Beach.
The DVVA program works with victims from the first call to police, through their court dates and beyond. Some survivors, like that night’s speaker, Maddy, go on to volunteer and refer other men and women to the program.
This year the vigil honored the people who assist the program, including the Redondo Beach Rotary, and recipients of its Going the Extra Mile — or GEM — Awards. Recipients included a mediator and prosecutor Joan Jenkins, LA County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Knapp, and attorney Antonio Saraba.
Jenkins specializes in counter-recidivism and restorative justice, working with those arrested, charged and convicted of domestic violence crimes to help them change their ways.
“Sometimes the criminal justice system is not an effective tool of change, and that’s what we want,” Jenkins said. “My approach is to give individuals a choice so they can break the cycle of rancor, can learn to communicate effectively, and have better lives.”
Knapp has worked at the Torrance Courthouse since 2009 and was recognized for the assistance and compassion he gives to victims of domestic violence, including connecting them to Redondo’s DVVA program.
“When a deputy works patrol…you never know if you made a difference,” Knapp said. “But when a person thanks me, I know something I did truly have an impact…thank you for letting me know I represent a tradition of service.”
Saraba was recognized for his work developing victim restitution laws and codes and assisting defendants.
“It’s been my pleasure to work several times with the Redondo Beach City Attorney…those are the foundations for my ability to get compensation for victims, and I’m grateful for their foundation,” Saraba said.
RBPD also recognized its partnership with the LA Kings to create and distribute Domestic Violence awareness fliers throughout Redondo and surrounding cities. Ex-Kings player Slava Voynov was arrested in Redondo for domestic violence in 2014.
“We’re giving back to a community that’s given us so much and allows us to be part of their community,” said Kings announcer Daryl Evans. “That incident brought awareness and magnified things…you don’t know much about it until it happens in your own backyard. We’ve learned a lot about it, and as an organization, are getting involved.“
