Domestic violence a ‘growing problem’ in RGV despite awareness

MCALLEN, Texas ( ValleyCentral ) — Mujeres Unidas hosted its 31st annual candlelight vigil at the Fireman’s Park in McAllen to honor those who died at the hands of domestic violence.

According to the website Breakthecycle.org , nearly half of women have experienced this type of abuse and 25% of men have also fallen victim.

Thursday night’s vigil was also about celebrating the survivors who can now educate others about the many forms domestic violence can take.

Despite the push to raise awareness, local officials say domestic violence is still a major issue in the Rio Grande Valley.

“There are days that I will wake up from nightmares but those nightmares are just memories of what I went through of the fear,” said Sonia Enriquez, domestic violence survivor. “Being put down mentally and verbally or that I was not going to amount to anything in this world.”

For more than a decade, Enriquez endured emotional abuse from her ex-husband. She is one of many victims who have spoken up about domestic violence and has since broken the cycle to live a normal life.

Gabriela Rojas is another survivor and says that she learned the hard way that it is not worth it to stay in for the children.

“I think that when my oldest daughter turned 18, she left the house and told me that the reason was the violence I was experiencing,” Rojas said. “Many times, one thinks that staying for the children is the best thing and that we have to make that sacrifice for the family, but the children are experiencing your violence in another way, and they don’t want to live with that.”

City of Hidalgo Police Chief Romeo Rodriguez says domestic violence cases are a growing problem.

“It is a growing problem. I don’t know if it is the stressors of the larger population, economics and a lot of things that come into play,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez adds he has also seen an increase in cases involving men as victims and that the problem is partly cultural and criminal. Genesis Gonzalez from Mujeres Unidas says most of the people they help are young.

She adds that the continued romanticization of toxic relationships is what causes domestic violence to still be a severe problem.

“This new generation, unfortunately, they romanticize, los toxicos and las toxicas,” Gonzalez said. “This is where it needs to stop, right? We hope, there’s hope. There’s always going to be hoping, and fortunately or hopefully, we hope that with that we’re able to push it forward, and we’re able to end the cycle right? If the more we educate one another in our community, the easier will be for future to prevent future victims.”

Gonzalez adds that age is not a barrier. She says they have recently helped people in their sixties and seventies of both genders who have suffered from domestic violence for decades.

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