Mayor Pro Tem Tameika Isaac Devine extends a call to action against domestic violence

For the past 18 years, South Carolina has ranked in the top nine nationally in terms of the rate of women killed by men. Each year, the Violence Policy Center compiles data based on the homicides across the United States and determines the relationship between the victim and the suspect. In 2017, the Violence Policy Center released the rankings based on 2015 data and South Carolina was ranked fifth for the second consecutive year.

The City of Columbia Police Department reports that in 2016, they assisted 132 domestic violence victims. These numbers only represent the times when law enforcement was called to the home and someone was arrested or temporarily removed from the home.

However, domestic violence doesn’t always present as physical violence where an officer is called because the level of anger and violence has escalated out of control. The reality of domestic violence is there are several forms of abuse including: emotional, psychological, financial or sexual. Put downs, disparaging remarks and isolation.

Sistercare, Inc., a Midlands organization that provides shelter and support services to survivors and their children, offers some staggering statistics about the reality of what is taking place in our community.

• 331 adults and 179 children were served by Sistercare’s shelters
• 3,521 crisis line calls were received
• 7,796 individuals were served through community based programs

That’s why I have been such a strong advocate for the Mayor’s Walk Against Domestic Violence and the Criminal Domestic Violence Taskforce to create the necessary resources and opportunities for anyone in a relationship that is harmful or life-threatening to them or their children to be able to leave. I want this issue to be silent no more.

Join us on Saturday, Oct. 7 in Finlay Park as we raise awareness about domestic violence during the 11^th Mayor’s Walk Against Domestic Violence.

We are excited that this walk will be the first walk along the Vista Greenway Extension in Finlay Park. The Vista Greenway Extension extends from the Taylor Street side of Finlay Park and under a number of city streets in the Arsenal Hill and Elmwood Park neighborhoods.

The Information Fair begins at 8 a.m. The Purple Rally, our program before the walk, begins at 9 a.m. And the walk will step off promptly at 10 a.m.

You can participate in the walk for free, but we do ask that you register by clicking here.