Briefs for Sunday, Oct. 5

October 05, 1997

FREDERICK, Md. - Frederick Community College will have a 40th anniversary and presidential retirement celebration honoring Lee John Betts from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the college's field house.

U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, R-Md., and state Sen. John W. Derr are expected to participate in the program.

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Members of Soroptimist International of Hagerstown on Monday will join Soroptimists worldwide in a campaign to educate people about domestic abuse.

Group members will distribute purple cards with information about domestic abuse in the restrooms and eating areas of local workplaces.

Purple is the color associated with domestic violence.

"The workplace is the ideal place to help women facing domestic violence because it's where these women spend at least eight hours a day away from their abusers," said Marilyn Smith, president of the Hagerstown club. "By distributing these cards, we will be taking the first step in creating awareness of this important issue."

Many people fail to realize that domestic violence often spills over into the workplace, Smith said.

Roughly 96 percent of employed battered women experience problems at work due to abuse from a partner.

"In addition to its significance as a security and human rights issue, businesses lose millions of dollars a year in lost wages, absenteeism and loss of productivity due to domestic violence that follows women to work," Smith said.

The Soroptimist Campaign to End Domestic Violence will coincide with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence's Day of Unity, an annual opportunity for people to show their solidarity with battered women and children.

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