"I had to crawl through the darkness to see light at the end of the tunnel.'' The words of a woman who survived a marriage from hell captured the symbolism of last night's candlelight vigil in Victoria Park.

Some 40 Bermudians -- mostly women -- turned out to honour survivors of abusive relationships.

And while the topic was dark, the bulbs in the trees and torches in people's hands represented hope.

The abused woman told how her journey through the tunnel of darkness included psychiatric counselling and medication.

But through it all, with God's help, she glimpsed the light.

"There is a survival pattern here,'' she said, urging women to take courage from her experience.

The victims of domestic violence were also remembered -- notably Rochelle Marcia West, the 30-year-old Bermuda Chamber of Commerce receptionist who was stabbed to death by her estranged husband, Rudolph West.

The 40-minute vigil was organised by the Women's Resource Centre and the Physical Abuse Centre. It formed a key part of this month's "Blow The Whistle On Domestic Violence Campaign''.

As well as brief testimonies from battered women, the event included performances by Shine Hayward and the Richard Allen AME Dancers for Christ, and singing. "There is a time to mourn and a time to dance and play,'' one of the dancers declared.

Physical Abuse Centre director Arleen Swan said Bermudians had to make a deliberate effort to avoid violence -- and communicate with each other instead. "This behaviour as a form of conflict resolution is wrong.'' Ms Swan praised those who had turned out for the vigil, but said it would be wrong for people to go home without recalling Rochelle West. She said: "We must sound the alarm in the community that violence has to stop.'' As people switched on their torches and lit their candles, she called for a moment of silence: to remember the victims and honour the survivors. "The light is a symbol of light shining in the darkness.''