Boston Globe 9/21/14: Lexington event hopes to stop the silence on dating violence. According to the American Psychological Association, about 1 in 3 teens and young adults reports being the victim of dating violence through physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse. One of the faces of this disturbing statistic belongs to 18-year-old Lauren Astley, who was killed July 3, 2011, by her ex-boyfriend, Nathaniel Fujita, just weeks after their graduation from Wayland High School. Time has not eased for Malcolm Astley the loss of his only child, yet the Wayland resident remains committed to sparing others his anguish. “Lauren’s loss has its horror and pain,” Astley said, “but it’s the three to four women killed each day in this country [due to dating violence] that she stands for.”
Through support from the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund, a free program will further that mission. “Break the Silence: An Evening of Drama, Poetry, Dance, and Music” will be held on Saturday, September 27, at 7:30pm at Jonas Clarke Middle School, 17 Stedman Road, in Lexington.
