KENNESAW - Elaine Raines and Beth Berman became fast friends while working together in 1995 as church administrators in Marietta. Then in June 2007, their friendship was cut short when Berman was found dead inside the home of her ex-boyfriend.

Raines and others suspect 35-year-old Berman, a single mother from Kennesaw, was killed in an apparent murder-suicide involving her ex-lover on June 17, 2007. That's why Raines decided to speak out about domestic violence, as part of the YWCA of Northwest Georgia's recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

On Sunday morning, the YWCA hosted its inaugural 'Peace, Love Dignity 5K and One Mile Skirt Run' in Kennesaw, that drew close to 100 participants. The purpose of the event was to raise funds for the YWCA's programs for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, said Amy Phillips, president of the YWCA of NW GA board. She participated by walking.

"The YWCA has the only domestic violence shelter in Cobb County and we have a sexual assault program that we work with Paulding and Cherokee counties on as well. So all the money will go there," said Phillips.

Melissa Hulsey of Kennesaw came up with the idea for the run. She and her 12-year-old daughter, Ali, and 9-year-old son, Jack, participated in the one-mile skirt run, in which participants wore skirts.

"I think Holly (Comer) and I brainstormed and wanted to do something a little bit (more fun)" Hulsey said. "So we're going to have the skirt one-mile run after the 5K. That is a statement when you wear your skirt to run in support of women, and a statement against domestic violence."

The YWCA's vision is to create a community free of domestic violence and sexual assault, said Holly Comer, executive director of YWCA.

In 2008, the YWCA reported answering about 3,000 crisis calls, served 293 women and children in emergency shelters and transitional housing, provided over 1,500 hours of free counseling, and helped more than 1,000 people get protective orders.

Comer said the YWCA of NW GA's 32-bed shelter stays full 365-days a year.

"I believe it's an epidemic when one out of every three women are going to be victims of domestic violence in their lifetime. And we need to be talking about it," Comer said.

"I think people say, 'Oh, that happens somewhere else. That's somebody else's problem. That happens in their home and I don't have to worry about it' But it does affect our community."

On Thursday, the YWCA also conducted its annual domestic violence vigil on Thursday at Marietta Square. That's when Raines spoke about her friend's problems with abusive boyfriends.

"I don't know what hold he had over her," Raines told the crowd.

"Why a smart, intelligent woman who worked her way up the administrative ladder from being a secretary, to earning her credentials to becoming one of the administrators at one of the largest churches in our area; why this woman seemed to have so much, have so little when it came to choosing a partner."

"So many of us saw what she could not see," Raines said. "But, we were not enough. We could not make her leave him. She could only make that decision herself. But, she never made it and we'll never see her again."