 Hello, Columbia. I'm your Councilwoman Tamika Isaac Devine. Thanks for joining us here at the City of Columbia as we hold the 2020 Mayor's Walk Against Domestic Violence. Unfortunately, we are unable to be together in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but our efforts to bring awareness towards domestic violence are not wavering. I'd like to thank all of you who registered this year for this year's virtual walk and your support to end the domestic violence in our community. In fact, right now it's more important than ever for us to bring light to the issue and support victims of domestic violence. Because we're in isolation due to this global pandemic, some victims of domestic violence are facing unique circumstances where they cannot escape their abusers. According to research done by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, during the first few months of the pandemic, they experienced a 9% increase in the contact volume and a 10% of those calls cited COVID-19 as a contributing factor. Because of isolation and social distancing protocols, some abusers are taking advantage of an already stressful situation. For example, abusers have been reported using COVID-19 as a scare tactic so that victims would not see their kids, family, or close friends, as well as holding important medical information about the virus. It is important to note that other situations that are being intensified because of this global pandemic could also play a factor in domestic violence cases, including financial constraints, alcohol abuse, and the inability to get to a safe place. I am so proud of all the work already being done in our city to combat domestic violence, including our Columbia Police Department under the leadership of Chief Skip Holbrook. The Department takes matters of domestic violence very seriously and not only works to arrest those perpetrators of domestic violence, but also helps establish a support line for victims to overcome their abusive situations. I'm also proud of all of our local partners like the Sister Care and the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Sister Care is an amazing resource in the Midlands as they provide services and advocacy to victims of domestic violence in their children. In fact, Sister Care is busier than ever due to the pandemic and has experienced an 85% increase in calls to the crisis line during the last three months compared to last year. The South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, better known as SCADFOSSA, has been the statewide advocacy leader since 1981. They help with critical needs of domestic violence survivors and advocate for legislative change to help combat domestic violence. Again, I thank you for all of your support in joining us for this year's 2020 Mayor's Walk Against Domestic Violence. And if there's anyone out there that is seeing this and you are in an abusive relationship or know someone that needs help, please know that there's help out there. Call Sister Care Domestic Violence Hotline at 803-765-9428 and get the help that you need. Thank you again and let's all take steps to end domestic violence. Hello, Columbia. I thank all of you for your support to raise awareness about domestic violence and helping support victims in our community. As you've heard from Councilman Devine, there's still so much work that needs to be done in our community and especially across the country. Recently, the Violence Policy Center reported that South Carolina ranks 11th in the nation in the rate of women murdered by men. This is the first time in the 27-year history of the study that South Carolina has not been in the top 10. While on its face, it may be a positive sign, it doesn't tell the whole story. Since 2014, the rate of women being murdered by men has increased by 19 percent nationwide and South Carolina's dismal rank of 5th last year would have ranked 10th in the most recent study. This year has added to the many challenges we already face on a daily basis. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for help in relation to domestic violence have increased nationwide and in our community. It's so important that we continue to spread the message of hope to all of our citizens and reassure them that we're here for them and we're ready to help at any moment. Again, I thank you for all of you've done in our community to speak out against domestic violence but please know that the efforts don't just end today or this month. We must continue to fight against the census violence and I'm proud to fight along with you. Thank you and Godspeed. This year, the COVID-19 crisis has created a uniquely challenging situation for advocates and an exceptionally dangerous situation for victims of domestic violence. Increased economic hardship and the necessary restrictions on travel have amplified the risk of harm for those who are in close and more frequent proximity to their abusers meaning that most victims have lost access to those precious few moments where they could find an opportunity to seek help during work or school hours. So as the pandemic goes on, how can we make sure to support survivors and make change in our city and state's relationship with domestic violence? What are all the pieces needed to bring peace to the homes in our communities and the individual survivors seeking to find safety and healing? First, we must accept and acknowledge that domestic violence is not simply a criminal justice problem. This is clear in the fact that during normal times only about half of domestic violence crime victims call the police. We will never make significant and long-term progress if we don't change our mindset on our approach to one that addresses all of its manifestations as an economic, a public health, a community and a human rights problem. Second, we must widen our view when it comes to policy and programs. There are so many factors that impact the underlying causes and cyclical nature of intimate partner violence including housing, systemic racism and inequity, food insecurity and other societal pressures, instances of which have been magnified throughout this health crisis. Lack of access to affordable housing, comprehensive paid leave, affordable healthcare and childcare means a victim's ability to escape an abusive situation is greatly diminished. As a society we have to think in bolder ways to develop comprehensive survivor-centered solutions and policies. Too often we become boxed in by what is believed to be politically feasible. It is time for the scope of what is possible to become much much wider but as the poet Lucille Clifton said we cannot create what we cannot imagine. Third, we must better engage the community. In every situation where domestic violence occurs the community is impacted. We must intentionally create opportunities for connection within our own communities and also ensure that all victims have access to the services and resources they need including emergency shelter, support and civil legal assistance. What is occurring right now behind closed doors in homes across Colombia perhaps even next door to you is affecting all of us whether or not we are able to see it. While we focus on the impact of the pandemic the impact of domestic violence continues and we will experience a repercussions for months, years and even for decades into the future. So today ask yourself what is your piece? What is your part to play in ending domestic violence? How does it fit into the picture of collective action that will solve this urgent issue? We must all act now to bring about the robust necessary investments in prevention pathways to healing and support to create a safer community in which no one fears violence from someone they love. This walk is a beginning but the path is long and we must commit to move forward every day until we reach our goal. It started out pretty normal. He was older than me in school so I really didn't know him and we had run into each other at the township and started talking and went out a few times and I knew you know some people that he was associated with who are good people and so we started dating and it was probably close to six months before it started getting really weird and I tried to back out gracefully and I've always heard this saying it's easier to stay than it is to leave and that's very much the case. I would get threats to kill my dad and hurt my family and things like that so it kind of gets you in a position where you know I'm not living with them I can't watch them all the time and you're afraid to tell your family because you're gonna be judged and then I don't I didn't want him going and looking for him and any trouble to get and start it and so it when it comes on it comes on fast and hard and then it's really hard to get out of. One night I was out with girlfriends having dinner and he knew one of them and sent her a text with my dad's street sign so of course I jump up and run to my dad's house and without telling him what was going on but wanting to know he was okay it was a matter of three years and I had tried numerous times to to back out and would send me subtle threats but I knew what they meant and it wasn't necessarily I'm gonna kill your dad you know or things like that it was it was subtle and I knew what what it meant and it just you cooperate and and you do what you can to survive and and I think it was all a challenge to him and and to break me down and and he did because I'm not I'm not scared of very much but I'm scared of him still got moved and I would take the long way home or you know switch routes every single day um because he had ways of getting other vehicles or having someone follow me and um and so it was it was I did that for a long time and sometimes I still find myself doing it and it's been almost six years and um sometimes I'll just get uneasy for no reason and and then I start you know watching everything and and on high alert but um but I just stayed with them and then I reached out to sister care I have 26 police reports one of those is actually where he choked his ex-wife after I had left um and like I said he remarried immediately and um and it wasn't long I mean he he beat her bad and um he had choked her one night when they were out and someone else called the police and he went to jail and um managed to get out and all the charges are gone now and I don't know how any of that happens so my goal is to take that and make a difference and make domestic violence laws tougher sister care gave me everything I needed because I sure didn't get it anywhere anywhere else when I went for help I had family support and friends support but legal support I didn't I didn't have very much of that and sister care Dr. Ross was there the whole time and it was wonderful Dr. Ross had met with me and she even came in on a Sunday and um she did a danger assessment and I believe the score is eight whenever um the victim starts dying when they start killing them and I scored a 30 they empowered me and and reminded me you know that that I can do this and that I can stand back up because you you do feel this debilitating you know the fear the shame everything is debilitating and they reminded me that I needed to stand back up and and um and that I had support and anything that I needed attorney everything they were all there and um I know I don't know I would hate to think of where I would be without them so peaceful I mean really for the most part everything is just so peaceful um because it there's constant eggshells with the abuser you're you're constantly walking around and trying to figure out what you can say and what you can't say because it changes from day to day and just depending on their mood and if they want to fight and um and they can take the simplest of things and so it's just so peaceful and wonderful and like I said I still get nervous now and then but um and I can't explain why but um for the most part I wouldn't I would not go back for anything I wouldn't change anything I would anyone anyone that's in it and once you get it you have to to deprogram yourself when you leave um because you feel so defensive because you've been defending yourself for however long you were in the relationship and um and so you have to deprogram all of that and um realize that you don't have to do that anymore and that's a sense of freedom I called July 19th 2015 my freedom day um because that's when I went completely no contact with anyone everything remotely associated I can't even imagine um because my my getaway my runaway was work or even going to the grocery store or whatever I could do for if you mean there I mean you knew you had to get everything done quickly um or there would be a fight when you got back you had to go to work and come straight home and and um and things like that but I can't I can't even imagine having to be there all the time I mean even sometimes at work I would just sit at my desk and work and cry but it was a release and um and I can't imagine that desperately need to reach out and call sister care call and get help and get out especially with if you have children there and because that's the worst case scenario never stop speaking out and never stop standing up because they hear you they hear you and it does make a difference