Vigil, Sign Waving Held in Honor of Maui Stabbing Victim

In response to the recent brutal murder of Kehau Farias, the organization, Women Helping Women hosted a vigil and sign waving event for the community to share their grief and sadness.  The stand against domestic violence was held at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College campus facing Kaʻahumanu Avenue in Kahului.

Stacey Moniz, the Executive Director of Women Helping Women said, “When tragedy strikes like this, it’s our tradition at Women Helping Women to hold a vigil to honor the woman that was killed.  This is the first time that we’ve had this many people come out.  I think that part of it’s because it was so public and so brutal and so tragic that so many people felt really moved by it.”

“There’s a saying that your joy shared is doubled, but your pain shared is halved.  So we want to offer an opportunity for people to share their pain, and decrease it by sharing it together,” said Moniz.

According to Moniz, domestic violence affects one in four women.  “That’s a lot of women in our community,” said Moniz.

“Each year, we at Women Helping Women do about 500 restraining orders.  One of the things that people are concerned about is this feeling that restraining orders don’t work, but the reality is, for maybe a thousand different people on this island, right now, there are active restraining orders that are working, and are keeping people safer.”

“Unfortunately, a restraining order is still just a piece of paper and at the end of the day, we have to do other things to keep ourselves safer.”

“The sad thing also about this situation is that Kehau really did do everything we would suggest.  She went to the store, she didn’t go by herself.  Someone went with her. She got a restraining order.  When he violated the restraining order, she called the police.  The police arrested him.  Everything was working the way it was supposed to work, and I think that’s what makes this doubly tragic,” said Moniz.

Police say Farias was fatally stabbed by her estranged husband on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at the Kehalani Foodland store in Wailuku.  Two men who came to her aid and tried to intervene were also stabbed in the incident.

The case advanced to Maui Circuit Court after a preliminary hearing concluded on Wednesday.  A court date for the suspect’s arraignment and plea is scheduled for May 10, 2016.

Vigil in honor of Kehau Farias Schmidt.

Vigil in honor of Kehau Farias Schmidt.

Vigil in honor of Kehau Farias Schmidt.

Vigil in honor of Kehau Farias Schmidt.

Vigil in honor of Kehau Farias Schmidt.

Vigil in honor of Kehau Farias Schmidt.

Vigil in honor of Kehau Farias Schmidt.