Denise Brown, victims' rights advocate, will speak in Fox Valley

Denise Brown never sought the spotlight; she was thrust into it violently when her sister was murdered in 1994.

Brown's former brother-in-law, O. J. Simpson, was the accused. Early in the well-publicized, eight-month trial Brown asked pointedly, "If he's so innocent, why is he trying to suppress all the evidence?"

From that one comment 13 years ago, she said, people began asking her to step up and offer a sister's insights on the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson.

That was a particular challenge for a woman who says she was "just a mom from Laguna Beach (Calif.)."

But Brown accepted the invitations and has been speaking out ever since on the topic of domestic violence.

On March 7, the California resident will fly to the Fox Valley to address a Crystal Lake dinner hosted by Professional Business Women of Illinois. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit Turning Point, a McHenry County organization that offers an emergency shelter in Woodstock, plus support groups, counseling and advocacy services.

Domestic violence is a subject about which Brown says she knew little before her sister died. That was something that happened to other people -- the poor and homeless, she thought.

"With Nicole's murder it took it to a whole new level," Brown said. "It can happen to middle income, it can happen to affluent families, it can happen to anybody."

Nicole's diaries, found after her death, revealed it had been happening to her. After struggling with unanswerable questions (Why did Nicole stay in the marriage as long as she did? Why didn't she tell her family?), Brown began educating herself about domestic violence.

"I had no idea how deep-rooted it was, how long it's been around. I feel like I lived in a bubble," she said.

"All of a sudden Nicole gets murdered, and I found out this whole other world existed."

The world the sisters had grown up in was remarkably normal, Brown said. She and Nicole rode horses together and had the same friends. Denise was older than Nicole by a year and 10 months, and they both were big sisters to Dominique and Tanya.

"We were always the two that were running around together," said Brown. "One of our friends said, 'If one of you was mad at somebody, both of you were mad.' She said we were like two peas in a pod."

It is for her sister's memory and the welfare of women and children that Brown carries on her educational campaign against abuse.

She travels the world to talk about Nicole's diaries, the grim statistics ("Four women die every day from someone they're supposed to be able to trust") and prevention programs that work.

Among her favorites are the Hands are Not for Hitting curriculum and the VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) System, a service that automatically notifies victims when their abusers are released from prison or jail.

She also visits shelters to encourage their work, and advocates for long-term options.

"Every emergency shelter should have transitional housing," Brown said.

"Two weeks to 45 days is not enough to get a life in order."

Brown has taken her campaign for prevention and protection to universities, hospitals, prisons, conferences, and radio and TV. She pushes for a variety of legislative solutions, and successfully testified before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee for increased funding of the Violence Against Women Act.

Funding is key, Brown said, both at the governmental level and locally. Money, food, clothing, diapers and other in-kind donations are always needed, as are counselors, nurses and volunteers to help women walk through the system.

"You're put into this and not even thinking straight yet," she said.

Professional Business Women of Illinois has been supporting Turning Point for several years, but this is the group's first big fundraiser on Turning Point's behalf, said president Dawn Williams.

"(PBWI) is a women's group, and these are real issues that women face in our community," Williams said.

"It's a fitting organization for us to work with."

The March 7 event will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn, U.S. Route 31 and Three Oaks Road. Paula McKay, of the "Gary and Paula" morning show at Crystal Lake's Star 105.5 radio, will serve as master of ceremonies.

Domestic violence survivor Carolyn Cox, a Bull Valley resident, will take the podium to tell her own story.

"She is an absolutely amazing woman," Williams said. "Her husband almost killed her. She took a horrific situation, and now she's speaking out and educating people on it."

Cox's husband, B.J., was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempted murder and aggravated domestic battery. McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi and prosecutor Nichole Owens also are on the program to speak about domestic violence prosecution.

Tickets, at $100 each, include dinner and are available by calling PBWI at (847) 888-8551.

Although, like herself, society was once in the dark about domestic violence, people are listening now, Brown said.

"Laws are being changed, people are being held accountable. I think people are realizing, you know what, I don't have to live like this.

"Now domestic violence has a life of its own," she said.

"It's never going to be swept under the carpet anymore."