Sorority hosts domestic violence awareness event

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Organizations in the Mid-South work hard Saturday to bring awareness to an issue that plagues communities everywhere.

Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. brought Memphis police and survivors together to discuss domestic violence.

According to the Family Safe Center, it often times takes a victim 7 times, to leave a harmful situation, so they’re urging people not to give up on their loved ones.

The virtual event “End the Silence, Stop the Violence” was meant to educate people about domestic violence issues.

Organizers said Shelby County is one of the top counties in the state for domestic violence prevalence.

According to Memphis Police, 24 homicides have occurred as a result of domestic violence to date and Memphis Police and Shelby County Deputies assist more than 350 victims every week.

We heard from victims about identifying warning signs before it’s too late and about encouragement.

”Yellow lights don’t turn green they turn red, so let’s start to figure ways that we can be more discerning about some of those factors or some of those behaviors, that we can see earlier,” said Dr. Penny Mickey-Smith, a domestic violence survivor.

“You are not damaged but have just been developed and so to each of my sisters today ... please be encouraged in your walk, know that we all have each other, be encouraged if you have something that’s going on in your life, tell your sisters, tell a friend, do not suffer in silence,” said Velvet Jeter, member of AKA Gamma Omega Chapter.

Memphis police also reported that 1 in 5 homicide victims was killed by an intimate partner.

Police and supporters of survivors urged victims to build a network of support to get out of dangerous situations.

If you need help you can call the city’s domestic violence hotline at 901-636-2950.

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