STORY AND PHOTOS BY ENID BLOCH

Buffalo, N.Y. Bike-a-Thon & Walk

On a beautiful Saturday morning, September 28, several hundred walkers and bike-riders gathered alongside the Niagara River in Tonawanda, NY, a suburb of Buffalo. At lovely Isle View Park, they awaited the start of the third annual “Break the Cycle” Bike-a-thon and Walk. The event was sponsored by the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women, under the energetic leadership of its executive director, Sawrie Becker.  All three annual Bike-a-thons have sought to raise
awareness of domestic violence. The first event was spurred by the murder of Assiya Hassan, who in 2009 was beheaded by her estranged husband at the television station they owned. Ever since, members of the Muslim community have turned out to “Break the Cycle,” walking and biking side-by-side with Western New Yorkers of all faiths and ethnicities.  “Domestic violence is an equal opportunity crime,” keynote speaker Dr. Shanaz Tejani-Butt told the assembled crowd. All ethnic and religious groups, all socio-economic levels of society, are deeply affected, for domestic violence happens everywhere, in every neighborhood, yet it is mostly hidden from view.  Dr. Tejani-Butt is a neuroscientist who studies the  effects of traumatic stress on the brain. She is a professor of pharmacology and associate dean of the College of Graduate Studies at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Always interested in societal as well as scientific issues, Dr. Tejani-Blutt served for ten years as national president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’s Organization. She is currently the program director of Feed the Hungry in America, a part of Humanity First, USA.  “We are here because we want to break the cycle of domestic violence,” she declared. “Eighty per cent of those who are denied their basic human rights, who are beaten, raped and killed, are women and children … Domestic violence is a silent killer, and if we want to break the cycle, we must first break the silence.  We can no longer allow DV to be a private issue that occurs behind closed doors.”

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Shahnaz Tejani-Butt

Before Dr. Tejani-Butt offered her remarks, Channel 2 TV newsman Scott Brown introduced David Wisniewski to the audience.  Recently, David’s sister Jacqueline Wisniewski was brutally murdered by her former boyfriend, a surgeon, who shot her at the Erie County Medical Center.
David struggled with his emotions as he talked about Jackie’s terrible death. It is not only his beloved sister who has lost her life, but his entire family who are suffering grievously from her loss. Their greatest wish now, he revealed, is to help others avoid the scourge of domestic violence. As David descended from the podium, members of the Wisnieski family, clearly still devastated, gathered around him.
Soon enough, the bikers and walkers were off on their jaunt through the park. Some managed a two-kilometer trek, others as much as six, but all came together at a large gazebo for music, food, lottery winnings, and most important, testimonials by two young women who survived horrendous domestic violence.
Both of the women had been shot multiple times and left for dead, yet ultimately they had emerged strong and confident and eager to help others. They attributed much of their recovery to Joe Chudoba and Brian Wolf, two outstanding members of the sheriff’s domestic violence advocacy staff, who had guided them through their trauma.
The bikers and walkers will have much to think about in the days and months ahead. According to Dr. Tejani-Butt, domestic violence can only be stopped if all of us do our part. “To those of you who are blessed with gentle spouses and good relationships, the best way to show your gratitude is to become the voice, the hope, the support of those who do not have what you have.”
“Get involved and become a part of the solution!” she urged the audience. “Some of us have the ability and resources to change legislation and regulations and improve funding and legal services,” she added. “Some of us can build awarenes and educate the public about this silent killer. Others can increase opportunities for survivors to improve their life skills and gain economic self-sufficiency. There is something we can all do,” she declared, “and I ask you to join in this crusade in whatever way you can.”

Mrs. Tahmina Rehman

Scott Brown: Channel 2 TV

Tahmina Rehman, retiring president of the local chapter of Ahmadiyya Muslim Women, worked closely with Sawrie Becker to bring the Bike-a-thon to fruition. Numerous local organizations joined as sponsors, and Kabab and Curry, a popular restaurant owned by Tahmina’s family, provided savory samples of their tasty fare.  A delicious finale to an inspiring event!

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