Silent Witness Ceremony Honors 2023 Victims of Fatal Domestic Violence
October 3, 2023
Ceremony Held During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Attorney General Alan Wilson led participants through the 26th annual Silent Witness Domestic Violence ceremony that was held today at the South Carolina State Capitol Complex in Columbia. During the solemn ceremony, Attorney General Wilson called the names of twenty-nine (29) women and seven (7) men from across the state who lost their lives in the previous year as the result of domestic violence.
Family members carried life-sized silhouettes representing victims to the State House steps as a bell was rung for each victim. An additional thirty-seventh (37) silhouette was carried to represent potential unknown victims.
“In silence, we bear witness to the pain and loss caused by domestic violence. It is a somber commitment to remember, to honor, and to break the cycle of abuse,” said Attorney General Wilson. “Domestic violence leaves scars often unseen. By raising awareness and supporting survivors, we can help end the abuse, one act of courage and compassion at a time.”
The Violence Policy Center will release a 25-year special report on October 4th that details data and trends across the nation related to men killing women. The report details state rankings from 1996 through 2020. It lists South Carolina in the top five for 11 years, the top 10 for 12 years, 11th in 2018, and a final ranking in 2020 of 23rd in the nation.
The Honorable Alan Wilson, religious leaders and other community members made special remarks to highlight the problem of domestic violence in our state.
A statistical breakdown for each county is available at http://www.scag.gov/criminal-domestic-violence-in-south-carolina.
