The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – In a powerful event commemorating National Crime Victims Rights Week, local organizations came together to shed light on the challenges faced by survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and human trafficking.
“If you see something, say something,” urged Brittany Stevens, executive director of Safe Home, who noted the organization provided 1,728 nights of shelter to victims in the past year.
Ashley Morris, Director of the Victim Witness Program, emphasized the event’s core message stating, “Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through connection with one another, with our communities and with systems that are committed to justice and care.”
Survivors shared deeply personal experiences. One survivor powerfully stated, “Survivors are not broken and in need of being fixed. Survivors are wounded and in need of healing.” Another read a heart-wrenching poem about domestic violence, concluding with the haunting line, “Last night, he finally killed me because nobody would help.”
Commonwealth Attorney Ann Gardner highlighted the complex work of supporting victims, noting, “We relive with them the details of some of the worst moments of their lives… We may not bring them closure, but we have a chance to make a difference in their lives.”
The event, themed “Connecting Kinship, Healing,” stressed the importance of community support and collective action. It concluded with a lighthearted “Donut Derby,” symbolizing hope and solidarity.
The gathering served as a powerful reminder that behind every statistic is a human story of resilience, and that community support can make a crucial difference in survivors’ paths to healing.
