OCT 06, 2020
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Oct. 6, 2020 - Attorney General Alan Wilson led participants through the 23rd annual Silent Witness Ceremony that was held today on the south steps of the State House in Columbia.
During this year’s virtual ceremony, Attorney General Wilson called the names of 36 women and six (6) men from across the state who lost their lives as the result of domestic violence in the previous year.
Volunteers held life-sized silhouettes representing victims as they stood on the State House steps. A bell was rung for each victim as their name was read aloud. An additional 43rd silhouette represented the potential unknown victims.
“It is important that we commemorate the lives of those lost to domestic violence to both honor the victims and shed light on this terrible crime,” said Wilson.
“We must recognize that we are contending with a cycle of violence in our state,” said Wilson. “When an individual is victimized, others are often witnesses to the violence, including children. We need to continue to try to prevent domestic violence while also best positioning law enforcement and prosecutors to hold perpetrators accountable.”
During the ceremony, Attorney General Wilson made special remarks to highlight the problem of violence against women. He noted that South Carolina, for the first time in two decades, was not reported in the top 10 states for men killing women. South Carolina ranked 11th in the latest national report.
A statistical breakdown for each county is available at http://www.scag.gov/criminal-domestic-violence-in-south-carolina.
2019 SILENT WITNESS VICTIMS
Margaret Blanding
18 years old
Anderson County
Lisa Robinson
45 years old
Anderson County
Lorice Richards
38 years old
Berkeley County
Ebony Claire
37 years old
Charleston County
De’Ja Dantley
23 years old
Charleston County
Linda Gallman
70 years old
Cherokee County
Mildred Motes
34 years old
Cherokee County
Andrel McCrorey
21 years old
Chester County
Latwanyept Stover
37 years old
Chester County
Danny Thomas
39 years old
Chester County
Jessica Purvis McFaddin
40 years old
Clarendon County
Ida Mays
48 years old
Colleton County
Jorday Nelson
29 years old
Colleton County
Sarah Nelson
83 years old
Dorchester County
Lynda Kay Shuler
54 years old
Dorchester County
Karen Simmons Yarborough
63 years old
Dorchester County
Bridget Tingen
46 years old
Florence County
Aqua Barksdale
29 years old
Greenville
David Edens
22 years old
Greenville County
Erin Henry
25 years old
Greenville County
Josephine Barton
66 years old
Kershaw County
Kimberley Alger
66 years old
Lancaster County
Victoria Sims
24 years old
Lancaster County
Roselynn Cedeno
45 years old
Lexington County
Jennifer Lynn First
37 years old
Lexington County
Joanie Leigh Youmans
42 years old
Lexington County
Wanda Reeves
38 years old
Marion County
Leroy Williams
60 years old
Marlboro County
Crystal Hood
41 years old
Newberry County
Robert McWaters
46 years old
Orangeburg County
Tracey Gillespie Nix
59 years old
Pickens County
Ariana Johnson
31 years old
Richland County
Brittany Johnson
31 years old
Richland County
Nivia Johnson
38 years old
Richland County
Christina Martin
45 years old
Richland County
Raekisha Masslieno
38 years old
Richland County
Jamaine McFadden
47 years old
Richland County
Cynthia Ohans
26 years old
Richland County
Tiana Perry
23 years old
Richland County
Angela Faulkner
47 years old
Spartanburg County
Quanisha Fernanders
23 years old
Spartanburg County
Sharee Bradely
29 years old
Sumter County
For media inquiries please contact Robert Kittle, [email protected] or 803-734-3670
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