- October 29, 2021
October is the national domestic violence awareness month, and to commemorate this year, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office held a silent witness ceremony. On Tuesday, October 5th, Attorney General Alan Wilson led participants through the 24th annual Silent Witness Domestic Violence ceremony. The ceremony to honor domestic violence victims in SC took place at the South Carolina Capitol Complex in Columbia. Â
AG Wilson listed 24 women and 15 men statewide during the ceremony who died from domestic violence in 2020. The victims’ family members carried a life-sized silhouette representing victims to the State House steps as they rang a bell for each of them. In addition, they added a 40th silhouette representing the potential unknown victims.Â
Addressing those at the ceremony, AG Wilson said it was sad and solemn to commemorate the lives lost in the past year to domestic violence. He asked the audience to keep in mind that domestic violence affects people from all walks of life. He noted that everyone must work hard to break the circle of abuse by understanding how violence impacts communities individually and collectively across the lifespan.Â
Domestic violence is a menace that affects different aspects of society. Statistics show that, on average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. This is the reason for several divorces and children getting placed in foster care.Â
Sadly, most domestic violence victims in SC don’t know what steps to take until it is too late. If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, report such abuse to the police, then seek advice from a South Carolina family law attorney. At Greenville Family Law, we offer confident and compassionate representation, while putting our clients first. Contact us today for a free case review.Â
Source: https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/silent-witness-ceremony-honored-2020-victims-of-fatal-domestic-violence/
