Joliet Zonta Club holding Say No to Violence rally

The Zonta Club of the Joliet Area will commemorate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence with a march and rally from noon to 1 p.m. Friday in downtown Joliet.

The march starts at Slammers Stadium, 1 Mayor Art Schultz Drive, and ends in the green space where the old Will County courthouse used to stand on Jefferson Street, according to a release from the Zonta Club. All are welcome to attend.

It has been a tradition for the club to educate the public about the 16 Days of Activism, from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10. Social media posts, a pledge to “say no” and a podcast all have been instrumental in reaching out to the public, according to the release.

The co-chairs of the event are Essence Clark and Sylvia Acosta Chavez. Speakers who have been invited include Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy, a representative from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, according to the release.

“Zonta is on the move,” Zonta President Bonnie Winfrey said in the release. “Globally, we are working hard to change the statistics regarding violence against women. We come against the numbers that reflect every 10 minutes a woman is killed, and every 10 minutes 229 girls are forced into child marriages.”

During the Say No to Violence March and Rally, “for the first time in our community, men are coming together to take center stage to lead and support our mission to combat violence targeting women and girls. We are so thankful for our community’s commitment to stand with Zonta during our 16 Days of Activism,” Winfrey said.

In the U.S., more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. And 1 in 3 teens experience dating violence each year, regardless of gender, according to Zonta.

The Zonta Club of the Joliet Area is a part of Zonta International, a United Nations nongovernmental agency. The club is dedicated to making a better world for women and girls, according to the release.

The club commits to community service and fundraising for scholarships for women and girls. For more information, visit www.jolietzonta.org or at facebook.com/JolietZontaClub.