Speaking out against domestic violence in Franklin County

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — Domestic violence survivors said the issue has become a pandemic within the City of Columbus and that speaking up will be the only way to slow the problem.

Tuesday marks the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“We have to make some noise about it because it’s no longer just a small private issue,” said Diana Williams, who was 25 years old when she was in an abusive relationship.

“We actually got into a physical altercation, and I was left… he left me there and did not call 911,” she said.

Watch: Speaking out against domestic violence in Franklin County

Williams’ best friend found her and took her to the hospital.

“And, you know, at the hospital, it was just where when I woke up, they were like, ‘You know, you almost died,’” Williams said.

She is now in contact with victims of domestic violence every day as the founder and CEO of Ohio Women Against Domestic Violence.

Williams said she always tells victims to tell even just one person about what they are going through because that person could save their life, like it saved hers.

“Being a survivor, you know, it makes it a little easier for us to connect with victims because our group, we are a group of all survivors, so every woman that’s in our group is a woman of color, of different nationalities,” Williams said.

She said the group has a helpline and so far this year, has helped 164 people.

Maria York, the policy director for the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN), said the network is constantly seeing more domestic violence-related homicides in Franklin County compared to every other county in the state.

“The issue that we’re seeing, though, is that the need is there and the resources aren’t there to meet that need,” York said. “In 2023, we had a 34 percent increase in just our hotline calls over 2022, and then again in 2023, we had a 35 percent increase in survivors seeking court advocacy support groups, shelter, all that, all the services. And so we’re also seeing that one in two survivors are being turned away from safe shelter just because we lack the bed space and resources to serve them all.”

York wants people to know that resources will never truly turn them away, saying the network will find a way to help whether that be putting the victim in a hotel or finding shelter outside of Franklin County.

York has a map in her office where gold pins represent a person who was killed with a gun in a domestic violence situation; the map has na overwhelming amount of gold pins in Franklin County.

“I mean, heartbreaking. It’s tragic, especially here in Columbus,” York said.

According to Columbus Police, the city set a record for the most domestic violence-related homicides; in 2023, there were 25. So far in 2024, there are 19.

York said ODVN will be releasing the statewide fatality numbers for July 2023 through June 2024 on Oct. 9 at the statehouse.

Both women hope the community uses the month of October to wear purple proudly.

“Just pulling together all of our partners within the community and making sure that everyone understands if we do more speaking up and speaking out, we can save more lives,” Williams said.

Williams said Ohio Women Against Domestic Violence also works closely with Columbus Police, specifically the department’s STOP team – officers who are specifically trained to intervene in domestic violence situations – on how to deal with women of color.

Williams said seeing leaders like Columbus’ city attorney, Franklin County prosecutors and Columbus Police fight this fight with her means the world. She said this is the first time the city has lit city hall purple to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month; there was also a moment of silence to honor the victims lost this year.

The number of the Ohio Women Against Domestic Violence helpline is 614-780-8484.

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