More than 25 people gathered to march for a cause Friday, and they were not about to let a little rain get in the way.

Friday marked the kickoff of Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a silent march from A Woman's Fund, located at 1304 E. Main St., Urbana, to a rally at the Champaign County Courthouse, 1776 E. Washington St., Urbana.

According to Rosalie Rippey, an employee at A Woman's Fund, the march is a yearly tradition.

"It is traditionally a silent march to represent those who may be suffering domestic violence silently and those who have been permanently silenced by an abuser," she said.

She explained that arriving at the courthouse also has symbolic value.

"We go to the courthouse because it is the seat of legal justice and law enforcement," she said. "We break our silence once we reach the courthouse to demonstrate that we have come from being forced into silence but will be silent no longer and to show the leaders that they should not tolerate domestic violence."

The rally at the courthouse included Marce Van Glabek, governor of Zonta International District 6, a women's group dedicated to ending domestic violence. Champaign County States Attorney John Piland also spoke along with James Hayes Jr. (representing Urbana Mayor Tod Satterthwaite), Champaign Mayor Gerald Schweighart, County Board Chairwoman Patricia Avery, Ruth Wyman of National Organization for Women and State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana).

Each speaker gave a short statement on the importance of domestic violence prevention, and then Schweighart, Avery and Hayes read a proclamation saying that October 2003 is domestic violence month.

They stated that the cities of Champaign and Urbana will urge health care providers to take action against abuse by screening patients regularly for signs of domestic violence.

Most importantly the proclamation firmly established that "family violence will not be tolerated," with each of the speakers shouting the phrase in unison.

Jakobsson said she agrees that domestic violence is an important issue.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for people to come out and show support," she said. "I agree with what is said today, to march is to show we care and are committed to ending domestic violence."

Marchers maintained their silence as they walked behind a banner that read, "Domestic Violence, It's Everyone's Problem."

Once they arrived at the courthouse, they broke their silence, as the group, which had now grown to about 30, crowded into the courthouse vestibule.

Linda Hiltabrand, a march participant from Peru, said that marching in the rain was only a small sacrifice compared to those who suffer domestic abuse.

"As I was walking in the rain, I couldn't help but think that violence knows no season," she said.

Buffie Kelly of Springfield, who also marched, agreed.

"To walk in silence was very (reflective) — we get to think about how many people are actually silenced by violence," she said. "I couldn't help but think that during the time we marched, someone would be silenced permanently."

Statistics claim that every 20 minutes, someone dies as a result of domestic violence, she said.