On Tuesday, October 30, New Hope for Women will again sponsor an exhibit called "An Empty Place at the Table" to honor victims of domestic violence homicide, in observance of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The display will be set up in the atrium of the Skidompha Public Library in Damariscotta and may be viewed by the public from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on that day.

The exhibit consists of a table arranged with a number of settings, each representative of a woman who was murdered by her abusive partner. Family and friends of the victims donate the items displayed, and in some cases, the items are among those actually used by their loved ones.

"An Empty Place at the Table" was first displayed in Maine in 2002 and includes memorials to four women murdered within New Hope's service area of Lincoln, Knox and Waldo counties, and also includes a place for all unnamed victims of domestic violence homicide, past, present and future.

The result is a powerful reminder that those whose lives were taken in such a tragic and senseless way are more than statistics and numbers to be counted at the end of the year. The young women whose lives are honored were parents, children, friends, neighbors, employees and valued members of the community. Their passing has left an empty place and a sense of loss that we all share.

For more information about the exhibit, about honoring a loved one lost to domestic violence, for advocacy and support, or for more information about New Hope for Women, please call 1-800-522-3304 or visit www.newhopeforwomen.org online.