The YWCA Mohawk Valley is responding to Sunday's murder of 17-year old Bianca Devins of Utica.

Officials say the incident provides a glaring picture of the magnitude and devastating toll that intimate partner and gender based violence can take.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 76 percent of women who were murdered by an intimate partner were stalked first.

CEO Diane Stancato says that prevention education is key to addressing the issues of dating and intimate partner violence.

"We are saddened by this tragic loss," said Stancato.  "Our hearts go out to Bianca's family and friends through this unimaginably difficult time."

In 2018, the YWCA Mohawk Valley provided advocacy services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence over 13,000 times and answered more than 2,000 calls on its crisis hotlines.

For 24-hour domestic and sexual violence services, you can call (315) 797-7740 in Oneida County and (315) 866-4120 in Herkimer County. Additional information is available at ywcamv.org.

Devins' boyfriend, 21-year old Brandon Clark of Bridgeport, is charged with second-degree murder.

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