Wearing yellow and hoping for change, people gathered April 22 in Farmington and Carrabassett Valley to bring awareness to domestic violence.
About 15 people gathered in downtown Farmington for a public rally organized by Finding Our Voices, calling attention to domestic violence and honoring Makayla Rose DeSantis, who was killed in Carrabassett Valley last month.
Survivors of domestic violence met at Carrabassett Valley Public Library the same day to listen to a talk also hosted by Finding Our Voices, a Maine-based group that provides resources for women who have experienced abuse.
The group was motivated to organize after DeSantis was killed March 8. Her boyfriend, Austin J. Doucette, 24, is accused of shooting her twice in the chest at the condo they shared in Carrabassett Valley.
Coworkers of Doucette’s said that he was “verbally and emotionally abusive” to DeSantis, according to a police affidavit filed with a Farmington court.
“We’re educating the community about the realities of domestic violence,” said Mary Kamradt, director of operations for Finding Our Voices. “We’re all affected by it somehow, whether we know it or not. And so, you know, we want to get the word out there and make some noise.”
In Farmington, protesters stood in front of the post office holding signs and wearing yellow, the color that is often used to help raise awareness of domestic abuse. The demonstration drew reactions from passing motorists as organizers sought to bring visibility to what they described as a lack of response from state leaders, according to a news release.
Organizer Patrisha McLean, founder and CEO of Finding Our Voices, said the group counted passing support during the rally.
“We got 87 honks!” McLean reported.
The rally was one stop in the organization’s “Let’s Talk About It” tour, which includes additional events across the state and has featured survivor-led discussions in more than 60 towns since launching in October 2023, including a record-setting panel at the Camden Public Library.
In Carrabassett Valley, the four panelists at the library shared their personal stories escaping their abusers and answered questions about their experiences.
Noel Richardson sat on the panel and recounted how she was abused, but also how she has grown since, being a straight-A student at Central Maine Community College.
“This is not a community I found until I walked into the courthouse after my son was kidnapped, covered in blood and my teeth punched in, in bloody pajamas,” Richardson said. “If you take anything out of here, take the resources.”
Finding Our Voices provides financial assistance, access to free dental care and a weekly online support group for women experiencing domestic violence.
“The big part of what we do is just really make noise about how there’s no accountability in Maine for domestic abusers,” McLean said. “Domestic abuse is an absolute emergency in a crisis. It’s femicide. It’s just one woman after the other being killed, and there’s nothing being done.”
As Doucette heads to trial on murder charges, groups like Finding Our Voices say their work continues to be extremely important.
“I love my job, but I wish that we didn’t have to do this,” Kamradt said. “I wish that this was not something that every day you hear about another situation.”
HOW TO GET HELP
IF YOU or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, you can call the statewide Domestic Abuse Helpline at 1-866-834-4357 to talk to someone who can help. You can learn more at mcedv.org/get-help.
IF YOU or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, you can call the statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 1-800-871-7741 to talk to someone who can help. You can learn more at mecasa.org.
FOR ASSISTANCE during a mental health crisis, call or text 888-568-1112. To call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org.
FOR OTHER support or referrals, call the NAMI Maine Help Line at 800-464-5767 or email [email protected].
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