In Keene, about 80 people marched against sexual assault. One-third of women experience sexual violence or intimate partner violence, organizers said. Jennifer Tveter marched in Keene. “Even when walking in such a large group there were still people – men – who were shouting profanities at the group, which only made the necessity of such a march more evident,” she told the Valley Post. “If women experience this while in such a large group, of course they would feel even more vulnerable while alone.”

Forrest Seymour works at Keene State College. He was at the October 19 march. “It was a success,” he said. The march was organized by students at the college. The goal was to raise awareness of sexual violence.

Rita Smith is the executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She said that, until the 1970s, in the USA there were no shelters for abused women. Now, there are more than 2,000 shelters and service programs. The number of available beds still falls short of the need, but it represents a major increase in emergency assistance.

The problem is the next step, Smith said. Many shelters allow people to stay for as little as 30 days; most allow stays of no more than three months. "The biggest need we see is for housing after the initial crisis," Smith told National Public Radio. "After the shelter, many can't find an affordable place to go. There's nowhere to go, and they're forced back into the violence, simply because of a lack of resources."

Politicians decide how much to invest in helping survivors of domestic violence, versus tax breaks for billionaires.

In other Keene news, on October 27 at Ashuelot River Park, a march for 100 percent renewable energy will start at 6:30 p.m. The march ends at Central Square. Details are at:

www.facebook.com/events/119451548765295

In other news from the Valley, on October 23 in Brattleboro, there was a rally outside TD Bank, which loans fossil fuel companies billions of dollars to cause climate change. More than a dozen people were at the rally. One of the groups that organized the event has a web site at www.PostOilSolutions.org.