Staff Intern

ONEONTA — Local residents came together Thursday to recognize National Young Women's Day of Action with a candlelight tombstone vigil on Frisbee Field at Hartwick College.

A dozen students and community members made tombstones of gray foam and black marker, listing statistics about the number of women who are victims of domestic violence in the United States. The 10 tombstones were placed on Frisbee Field to increase awareness of domestic violence.

"It happens a lot, and I think people don't know about it," said Stephanie Lao, a community educator from Planned Parenthood. "We need to spread awareness and stop the violence. What we did today, every little bit counts."

Kamarra Chamberlane, a Hartwick sophomore, attended the vigil because her resident director is involved in sexual assault counseling.

"The hospital statistic (250,000 hospital visits each year are caused by partner violence) is terrible," she said. "It makes you really think about things."

The small group on Frisbee Field on Thursday afternoon lit candles, then reacted the statistics.

"The time one really struck me (a battering occurs every 15 seconds in the U.S.)," said Meleia Egger, vice president of the Women's Center at Hartwick. "We've been standing here for about two minutes. That's eight beatings."

Both male and female students attended the event, concluded by a moment of silence around the tombstones.

The Tombstone Project was jointly sponsored by the college's Women's Center, the Oneonta Violence Intervention Program, Planned Parenthood and VOX.

The first National Young Women's Day of Action was organized 10 years ago to focus on "issues of reproductive and sexual freedom, racial and economic justice and to end violence against women," according to the Hampshire College website.

This year, women at 300 colleges, universities, high schools and community groups will organize for the event, officials said.