Domestic Violence

The Armenian Relief Society of Western USA held a fundraising event at its regional headquarters in Glendale on Aug. 14 in which the organization raised more than $15,000 for domestic violence outreach objectives. It was the first such fundraising event the Armenian Relief Society has ever held to address domestic violence. The Armenian Relief Society Shelter coordinated with local organizations' shelters such as Door of Hope and the YWCA. The Armenian Relief Society Shelter Committee Chair Aida Babayan presented a report on the society's outreach program addressing domestic violence and discussed the establishment of a telephone hotline service.

Rapper Anthony Smith, better known as Tone Loc, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of domestic violence at his Burbank home, police said. Burbank police responded about 2:43 p.m. after receiving reports from a woman that Smith assaulted her, officals said. Police said the incident is under investigation. They declined to release details on the case. Smith was arrested about an hour later and booked into the Glendale jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. He posted bail later that day and was released, police said.

GLENDALE — After suffering years of emotional and physical abuse, domestic violence survivor Sandy Correa made a move to break the cycle of hurt when her son was a child. Correa, who was raised by a single mother, grew up in a tough neighborhood and never once thought a man would hit her. She went to college, where she got her bachelor's and master's degrees. "I beat the statistics of my neighborhood. I was doing great," Correa told dozens of people, who attended the Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil on Thursday night at the YWCA of Glendale.

Nearly 60 volunteers marched the streets of Glendale and Burbank on Monday to raise awareness and gain support for a new domestic violence help center that they hope will make inroads with Armenian families. Volunteers met in front of St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale and walked to St. Leon Armenian Apostolic Church in Burbank, marching under the slogan “Violence Hurts, Love Conquers.” Fr. Vazken Movsesian of St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale formed the domestic violence task force under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.

GLENDALE — A series of events aimed at raising awareness of sexual assault against women have been planned in the coming weeks as city officials report an increase in domestic violence. In the first two months of this year, the number of domestic violence incidents jumped to 59, up from 49 for the same period last year, according to the Glendale Police Department. “If it was just one more than the last year, it’s just one too many,” Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. While domestic violence incidents increased, the number of rapes dropped from four to three.

Rapper Tone Loc -- famous for his song "Wild Thing" -- was sentenced Monday to three years of probation and one year of anger management counseling after he pleaded no contest to possession of an assault weapon and domestic violence charges. Loc, whose legal name is Anthony Smith, was also sentenced to one day in jail and ordered to complete 30 days of community service, according to Los Angeles County district attorney's office. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Patrick Hegarty sentenced Smith, 45, in Burbank after the rapper pleaded no contest to one count each of possessing an unregistered assault weapon -- a Colt AR-15 Sporter -- and corporal injury to a spouse.

Alecia Foster NORTHRIDGE -- After enduring 12 years of abuse, Gabriella Lopez decided she couldn't take it anymore. While her abusive husband was at work, Lopez hocked the family television. She got $75 for it. "Just enough to escape," she said. The Tijuana native fled to Los Angeles with her five children, determined to start a new life. Her courage and determination earned the Glendale resident Mimi's Cafe's Second Chance Award.

Gretchen Hoffman The Glendale YWCA is taking part in a pilot program designed to educate children and teens about domestic violence and break the cycle of violence. A 6-foot-4-inch statue of an angel will serve as the symbol of the program's goal of domestic and community peace. Officials announced the new educational program, which will be held in conjunction with the EduCare Foundation, at an event to unveil the statue Wednesday night at Universal CityWalk.

Alecia Foster GLENDALE -- The words and images on the T-shirts are powerful and filled with emotions. "They're all hand painted by victims of domestic violence and, in some cases, by the family of those who did not survive," said Edwina Dunlap, director of development for the YWCA Glendale. The display is part of local activities planned for the National YWCA's Week Without Violence campaign. The event is sponsored by the YWCA of Glendale. The shirts are part of the Clothesline Project, a program designed to empower survivors of domestic violence as well as educate the public.

Glendale resident Bill Lefkovits, 57, was outnumbered Thursday evening as he walked in a pair of women's shoes to raise awareness of sexual assault and rape. Across the country, the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign draws thousands of men to walk a mile in high heels. Among more than 100 men and women participating in Glendale on Thursday, Lefkovits appeared to be the only man to don women's footwear, wearing his wife Kathy's low-heel brown sandal wedges. “Good causes like this - I'm into it,” he said.

The executive director of a nonprofit set up to serve uninsured children in Glendale is stepping down to take the helm of a domestic violence shelter in Arizona. Camille Levee - who as the exuberant executive director of Glendale Healthy Kids has become a fixture in the local nonprofit community for the past 5 1/2 years - announced her resignation to the board of directors Thursday morning. She plans to move in May after shepherding through a round of key fundraisers for the nonprofit that has become synonymous with her name.

The executive director of a nonprofit set up to serve uninsured children in Glendale is stepping down to take the helm of a domestic violence shelter in Arizona. Camille Levee - who as the exuberant executive director of Glendale Healthy Kids has become a fixture in the local nonprofit community for the past 5 1/2 years - announced her resignation to the board of directors Thursday morning. She plans to move in May after shepherding through a round of key fundraisers for the nonprofit that has become synonymous with her name.

Nearly 60 volunteers marched the streets of Glendale and Burbank on Monday to raise awareness and gain support for a new domestic violence help center that they hope will make inroads with Armenian families. Volunteers met in front of St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale and walked to St. Leon Armenian Apostolic Church in Burbank, marching under the slogan “Violence Hurts, Love Conquers.” Fr. Vazken Movsesian of St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale formed the domestic violence task force under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.

The Glendale chapter of the Armenian National Committee collected 152 toys and $140 it will use to buy more toys as part of its Christmas celebration Wednesday at the Glendale Youth Center. Half of the toys will be given to the Glendale YWCA's domestic violence shelter. The other half will be sent to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, which occupies one of the poorest counties in the United States, according to local chapter officials. The chapter's new board and scholarship winners were announced at the event.

In Glendale, 339 cases of domestic violence were reported to police in 2010. The department's latest figures, as of September of this year, are 238. But many women don't report assaults to the police, and others report them to organizations like the YWCA. With this in mind, the Safe Family Task Force, the YWCA of Glendale and the Glendale Religious Leaders Assn. are holding a workshop on Dec. 15 on family violence for local clergy members to attend. The workshop is designed to help clergy learn about domestic violence, what resources are available, and how to respond.

A star in its Centennial year programming was the annual Authors Luncheon of the La Crescenta Woman's Club. Held at the La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, the Tuesday, Nov. 8 event attracted some 200 women who like to read. Authors on hand, pushing their books through short talks and book-signings, were Brett Battles, Lynn Sheene and Silver Lake resident Denise Hamilton. Hamilton, former Los Angeles Times reporter turned crime novelist, described her recent book “Damage Control,” which deals with California politics and murder.

About two months ago, a woman with bruises on her arms came to Glendale's YWCA begging to sleep in the building, as she feared going home to her husband, a convicted sex offender who abused her verbally, physically and sexually. She didn't speak any English and moved to the United States from Armenia with her husband, who she believed would love and care for her. She didn't know about his criminal past or a prior divorce. The 48-year-old is one of many who experience domestic violence every year, said YWCA Executive Director Michelle Roberts at a candlelight vigil held Thursday to raise awareness of the crime.

Rapper Tone Loc -- famous for his song "Wild Thing" -- was sentenced Monday to three years of probation and one year of anger management counseling after he pleaded no contest to possession of an assault weapon and domestic violence charges. Loc, whose legal name is Anthony Smith, was also sentenced to one day in jail and ordered to complete 30 days of community service, according to Los Angeles County district attorney's office. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Patrick Hegarty sentenced Smith, 45, in Burbank after the rapper pleaded no contest to one count each of possessing an unregistered assault weapon -- a Colt AR-15 Sporter -- and corporal injury to a spouse.

The Armenian Relief Society of Western USA held a fundraising event at its regional headquarters in Glendale on Aug. 14 in which the organization raised more than $15,000 for domestic violence outreach objectives. It was the first such fundraising event the Armenian Relief Society has ever held to address domestic violence. The Armenian Relief Society Shelter coordinated with local organizations' shelters such as Door of Hope and the YWCA. The Armenian Relief Society Shelter Committee Chair Aida Babayan presented a report on the society's outreach program addressing domestic violence and discussed the establishment of a telephone hotline service.