All Against Abuse

Envision being overcome by fear the moment you walk the door of your own home, or when someone else walks through it. Fear of violence, fear for your safety. Domestic and dating violence inflicts pain across the East End and it comes in all forms: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and even economic abuse. However, through the help of The Retreat, a community-based, non-profit agency providing a safe haven for those in crisis, there is relief.

Based in East Hampton, the organization’s impact in 2018 included accompanying nearly 1000 clients to court sessions, educating 175 fathers in traditional family units, providing educational events for more than 5485 students, reaching nearly 3000 college students over three separate campuses, providing 2393 counseling sessions (a quarter of them for children), taking an average of eight hotline calls per day, and conducting 233 community presentations.

To bring awareness to the cause, the All Against Abuse Gala will take place on Saturday, June 8, at the Muses in Southampton. This year’s emcee will be Don Lemon, CNN News Anchor and host of “CNN Tonight,” and also a victim of abuse as a child. Alongside him will be survivors and well-known names of Regina Scully, Alan and Arlene Alda, Joy Behar, Henry Schleif, and others.

In keeping up with a 25-year tradition, the signature auction items for the gala will be artist-designed plates. Each individually crafted plate of the past has become a collector’s item, in addition to a memory. Contributing their works will be local artists John Battle, Scott Bluedorn, Stephanie Brody-Lederman, Michael Butler, Gabby Karan, Barbara Maslen, Gabriele Raacke, and Peter Solow.

“Working with the community and Retreat supporters for the All Against Abuse Gala is always empowering,” said The Retreat’s development director, Kim Nichols.

Executive director Loretta Davis added, “All Against Abuse is an important fundraiser for The Retreat but also an evening for all of us to come together and celebrate survivors and the incredible work provided over the last three decades.”

The 2019 All Against Abuse Champion recipient will be Regina Scully, founder/CEO of the Artemis Rising Foundation. Her foundation builds awareness and gives voice to social issues of today. She will be honored for her dedication to transform lives through media and healing projects.

For more information, visit www.allagainstabuse.org.

nicole@indyeastend.com