Morris County Prosecutor's Office Participates in the Break the Silence Conference on the Prevention of Domestic Violence

Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp previously announced the participation in this year's Break the Silence Conference on Prevention of Domestic Violence Against Women which was held on Saturday, October 17, 2015 from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. at the Presbyterian Church, 57 East Park Place, Morristown, NJ.

The Break the Silence Conference provided information to the community on how to protect victims of domestic violence and to end the silence surrounding domestic violence in our community.

The event was sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church in Morristown and organized by Dr. Gayle Pearson, First Presbyterian Church Program Coordinator.

October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Recently, on October 14, 2015, the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders issued a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness month.  The Morris County Prosecutor's Office and Jersey Battered Women's Service received the Proclamation from the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

L to R: First Assistant Prosecutor Thomas A. Zelante; Deputy Chief Denise Arseneault; Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Tia Manochio; Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp; Victim Witness Advocate Michelle Leone; Chief of Detectives John Speirs

L to R: Patty Sly, Director of Jersey Battered Women's Service; Associate Pastor Sarah Green, The Presbyterian Church of Morristown and Keynote speaker, Reverend Bonnie M. Orth, Leader of Presbyterians Against Domestic Violence Network, spoke regarding the issue of Violence Against Women Locally & Globally

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Tia Manochio presented information on the prosecution of domestic violence cases, the criminal sanctions facing defendants convicted of domestic violence and what protections under the law are available to victims

Patty Sly (seated on left), Director of Jersey Battered Women's Service, provided information on Perspectives on Violence Against Women and How We as Individuals Can Make a Difference. She also discussed the new initiative for the Morris County Family Justice Center of Domestic Violence

First Assistant Prosecutor Thomas A. Zelante and Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp

L to R: Patty Sly, Tia Manochio and Senior Pastor David Smazik