Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

Staff article

CLEVELAND, Ohio-Nancy Ruiz, the mother of Cleveland Seymour Avenue survivor Gina DeJesus who fought with community activists for years to find her missing daughter, will join a list of speakers for the upcoming 10 year anniversary rally of the escape of the Seymour Avenue survivors on Saturday, May 6 at 2207 on Seymour Avenue from noon-2pm where the since demolished home of the late serial rapist Ariel Castro one stood.

Other rally speakers include state Sen Nickie Antonio, state Rep Juanita Brent, Journey Center for Safety and Healing (domestic violence center) CEO Melissa Graves, Cleveland Councilpersons Kevin Conwell and Joe Jones, and activists from the Black Women's Army, Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights, Imperial Women Coalition, Young Mothers of Cleveland, Black on Black Crime Inc, Peace in the Hood, Carl Stoke Brigade, and Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights.

May 6 marks the 10-year anniversary since May 6, 2013 of the escape, after a decade of captivity, of Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight and Amanda Berry from Castro's since demolished Seymour Avenue home on Cleveland's near west side. Castro hanged himself in prison in 2013, a month into a life sentence without the possibility of parole for his criminal deeds, including abduction and rape.

"We are not ready to forget what happened in the 'House of Horrors' on Seymour Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio and we have unfinished business as to heightened rape and murder and other crimes against innocent women and girls," organizers of the event said.

The activists say the anniversary event will also address the Violence Against Women Act, local, county, statewide and national public policy changes sought, and a demand for resources as to violence against women and children, human trafficking, and the epidemic of missing persons. Additionally, activists want more equitable distributions of resources in educational arenas for women and girls, particularly regarding poor, minority, inner city and LGBT women, girls, and other genders.

A local guitar player and former Cleveland schools bus driver, Castro hanged himself in prison a month into his life sentence without the possibility of parole. He was a sad character and a serial rapist of children and women.

Statistics on nationwide violence against women and girls include the following:

-Violence against women and girls, including rape and murder, remains an epidemic, as does human trafficking

-Women and girls ages 12-34 are at the highest risk for sexual assault

-Poor women are 12 times more likely to get raped

-One out of every six American women has experience an attempted or completed rape and 22 percent of African-American women and 14 percent of Hispanic-American women experience at least one rape or attempted rape in their lifetime

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