From Paula Vestin & Jacob Gardner

Monroe

To the Editor:

We invite the community to attend Making Sweet Tea and Other Secrets, on stage at Monroe Theatre Guild March 6-15. Tickets are available now; more information can be found at monroetheatre.com.

This play is not “easy viewing,” and that is intentional. It addresses domestic violence, sexual violence, LGBTQ+/trans youth homelessness, and the ways cycles of abuse can be hidden in plain sight — even when an abuser appears respected, employed, and active in the community.

These issues are not rare. State reporting indicates domestic abuse is experienced by approximately one in three women and one in four men during their lifetimes. More than half of all transgender individuals report experiencing intimate partner violence. Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services estimates over 17,600 survivors of sexual assault annually, with more than 72% involving known parties. These numbers exist alongside significant underreporting, meaning many survivors’ experiences never reach the legal system.

The play also highlights how housing instability often follows family rejection or unsafe homes, particularly for LGBTQ+ and trans youth, who are disproportionately affected nationwide.

Paula Vestin is Chief Operating Officer of Family Services of Southern Wisconsin & Northern Illinois, Inc., parent agency of the Sexual Assault Recovery Program. Leaving an abusive situation is rarely a single moment; it is a process shaped by safety, fear, love, and survival. Support begins with believing survivors and ensuring accessible, compassionate resources exist when they are ready.

Wisconsin has some legal tools intended to protect survivors, including victim-rights laws and domestic or child abuse restraining orders. However, these tools are only effective when survivors can safely access them and receive support.

Jacob is a local attorney practicing in family and criminal law. While survivors do have legal protections, court procedures typically require them to testify in open court, often while facing an abuser. These rules protect due process, but they are also difficult for survivors. To root this home: Jacob has witnessed this barrier in-action, right here in Green County. These stories are real.

Director Denise Plattenberg’s goal in presenting Making Sweet Tea and Other Secrets is not to sensationalize pain, but to foster understanding, reduce stigma, and encourage a community where asking for help is met with compassion and support. We invite you to join us at MTG for Making Sweet Tea and Other Secrets, performing March 6-15. Visit monroetheatre.com for info and to purchase tickets.