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On Wednesday, more than a dozen Bronx women gathered to train at Female Fight Club New York City, an all-female gym and health club.
This club in Riverdale offers more than just fitness classes. For women in the Bronx, it’s a safe place to train not just your muscles, but your mind as well. After an intense fitness class, a group of women gathered near the front of the studio for the real fight: the fight to end domestic violence (DV) in the Bronx.
Female Fight Club NYC, which doubles as a gym and community support facility, hosts seminars to raise awareness about domestic violence, where advocates, law makers, and victims talk about the signs of domestic violence and identify violent families. We have provided information on resources for those who wish to separate from. .
The event took place at the beginning of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The city and advocacy groups will be holding events throughout October to raise awareness about domestic violence, give victims a voice and connect people with help.
At Female Fight Club in the Bronx, tired but determined women fight through the final 10 minutes of a high-intensity workout. Credit: Sadie Brown
Belki Rodriguez, a domestic violence advocate with My Sister’s Place, a nonprofit organization that aims to end domestic violence in the Westchester County area, talks about common misconceptions about spousal, partner, and family abuse. Ta.
“I think a lot of people might think it’s just going black, a broken arm, a broken nose, a broken finger,” Rodriguez said. “Domestic violence is more than that. It’s a monster in disguise. It’s verbal, it’s emotional, it’s physical, it’s labor, it’s economic.”
Preventing domestic violence is one of the issues that Female Fight Club founder Joanna Edmondson champions as part of a holistic approach to women’s health. She started Female Fight Club during the pandemic because she wanted to create a safe environment and supportive community for women to exercise and prioritize self-care. The gym offers fitness classes ranging from Zumba and Pilates to kickboxing and weight training. According to UN Women, the incidence of domestic violence has increased globally during the pandemic.
“People were stuck indoors with their abusers without a lifeline,” Edmondson said.
Today, Female Fight Club and its nonprofit arm, the Female Fight Club Foundation, host workshops and awareness events to educate women in the Bronx about domestic violence and connect them with services like My Sister’s Place. I am.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, along with Female Fight Club owner Joanna Edmondson, hosted a domestic violence awareness seminar for women in the Bronx. Credit: Sadie Brown
City data shows that although the Bronx has the highest number of domestic violence complaints in the city, victims in the Bronx have fewer resources, including mental health services and economic empowerment services, than the other four boroughs. There aren’t many.
My Sister’s Place was there to help Chrissy Monroe nearly a decade ago when she was in an abusive relationship. The reality TV star and entrepreneur said domestic violence can happen to anyone.
“At the time, I was on Season 5 of ‘Love and Hip Hop New York,’ which is one of the biggest TV shows in the world. When I finished that season, I was on top of the world,” Monroe said. said.
She said she fell in love with a handsome and attractive younger man. He had recently been released on parole on a drug charge and had just moved in with his girlfriend. The situation did not immediately turn violent. Monroe said the initial abuse was more subtle, such as ignoring her, being cold to her, degrading her and making her feel unattractive. Eventually, things escalated one day while the two were driving on the Major Deegan Expressway.
“I think I changed the radio station to his favorite song or something, and he just, boom, punched me in the face, like I’ve never been hit before. ” Monroe said. “Blood started splattering all over the steering wheel, all over the car.”
Reality TV star and domestic violence survivor Chrissy Monroe shared her story with women in the Bronx at Female Fight Club. Credit: Sadie Brown
The abuse worsened, leaving Monroe with a black eye, cracked ribs and permanent hearing loss in her left ear. The violence stopped only when he committed a robbery and returned to prison. But Monroe’s nightmare didn’t end there. Once she had the courage to come forward, Monroe said she was shamed and blamed by police.
“I was like, ‘Oh, why didn’t you come earlier?'” Monroe said. “I can see now that the whole attitude was victim blaming. I didn’t know that at the time. I was making fun of myself for not coming sooner. That just made things worse. is.”
Monroe’s abuser was sentenced to three months in prison, along with other charges.
“They were acting like they were doing me a favor in court, even though he never got a minute of respite for what he did to me,” she said.
Monroe’s experience is not unique. Many victims of domestic violence experience a stigma that shifts the blame from the abuser to the victim. The stigma of being defenseless or weak, or of having done something to cause the abuse, is a barrier for victims of domestic violence in seeking help.
The Bronx Mayor spoke about the current state of domestic violence in the Bronx and encouraged people to speak up if they see something. Credit: Sadie Brown
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, who was in attendance, declared domestic violence a public health crisis in the Bronx and noted that the Bronx is the leader in domestic violence-related homicides. She encouraged bystanders to speak up and say something if they see something, even if they’re hesitant to come forward.
“Okay,” Gibson said. “Nobody wants to testify in court. But I also say it’s somebody’s mother, somebody’s sister, somebody’s niece. It’s somebody who is loved by somebody, who doesn’t deserve enough attention.” Because it could easily be yourself or someone you love.”
