Naples event at Grey Oaks empowers men to end domestic violence

NAPLES, Fla. - Men from across Southwest Florida gathered Wednesday night at Grey Oaks Country Club in Naples for the Gentle’men Against Domestic Violence event.

The event aimed to raise awareness and take a stand against domestic violence and human trafficking.

The event benefited the Shelter for Abused Women and Children, which has seen growing support from the community over the years.

Linda Oberhaus, CEO of the Shelter for Abused Women and Children, spoke about the significance of the event.

"So at the Shelter, we believe it's important for men to serve in a leadership capacity and stand with women as equal partners in ending violence against women and girls," said Oberhaus.

The event, which started as a luncheon, has evolved over the past 15 years into an evening gathering with increasing participation from men.

"We started out as a luncheon, and then we became an evening event, and we just fine-tune it every single year," said Oberhaus. "15 years have passed, and we have bigger numbers and greater support from men in our community."

Later in the evening, attendees heard from keynote speaker Alina Donahue, a human trafficking survivor and national advocate.