ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Betty Cooper, holding a picture of her daughter Cheryl Senn who died at age 29 back in 1997, will participate in the HAWC walk on Sunday in memory of her daughter.
By THOMAS GRILLO
It has been two decades since Cheryl Senn was stabbed to death by her husband.
But the passage of time hasn’t lessened the grief for her mother, Betty Cooper.
“It was really hard for me when it was first happened, she was my first born,” she said. “But even now, it’s tough for me to put into words the grief I still feel every day.”
On Sunday, Senn and other victims of domestic violence were remembered in the 25th Anniversary of Walk For HAWC (Healing Abuse Working for Change). The nonprofit, which has offices in Lynn, Salem, Gloucester and Beverly, hoped to raise more than $100,000 for services and support to victims of domestic abuse in two dozen North Shore communities.
Founded in 1978, the charity assists survivors by helping to file restraining orders and seek treatment for victims. HAWC provides emergency family shelter for people at risk of homelessness because of domestic abuse.
Nearly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men in Massachusetts experienced rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner, according to Jane Doe Inc. Since 2003, there have been 327 homicide victims linked to domestic violence.
Peter Eugene, 45, was found guilty of Senn’s murder and is serving a life sentence at MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole.
Cooper said her son-in-law was jealous because her 29-year-old daughter had returned to school, and was making plans to launch a career as a real estate agent.
Despite the grief, Cooper said she remains active in the cause to end domestic violence.
“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” she said. “When I see young ladies going through the same thing, I tell them to get out before it’s too late.”
Thomas Grillo can be reached at [email protected].
