Columbus community brings awareness to domestic violence with walk

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - In Columbus, advocates, survivors and loved ones are marching this evening to bring attention to domestic violence and spread awareness throughout the community.

Georgia ranks 10th in the nation for the rate at which women are killed by domestic violence.

Silence hides violence was the theme for tonight’s event. I spoke with the mother of Kelly Levisohn, a paramedic who was shot by her boyfriend, who was a Columbus police officer. Kelly’s mother says events like this are important to have.

Wilma Levisohn came out to walk for her daughter Kelly who was killed in 2019. She says she walks to bring awareness and spread the warning signs of domestic violence.

“To just be as aware as you can be and just really think about whether or not your person is being separated from her friends or if there’s any telltale signs that are going on, just anything that you can think of that you might not have thought of before,” says Wilma Levisohn

Laura White, a survivor who had been shot in the stomach by her ex-husband, says the doctors said she wouldn’t make it, and if she did, she wouldn’t have a quality of life. Laura says after going through that, she has done everything to bring awareness to domestic violence.

“I realized that I had to do something with what I’d been given, and I say I will tell my story as long as I have a voice, and I think I’m living a pretty good quality of life,” says Laura White

More than 1 in 4 women and more than 1 in 7 men in the U.S. have experienced physical violence, sexual violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Joe Bishop, a speaker during the event, says the statics all have a name, face, and role.

“It’s important for communities to have events like this tonight because it is the silence it’s the quiet stigma that we don’t want to talk about you know family violence domestic violence it doesn’t know race no that no color,” said Joe Bishop

Lindsey Reis, the director of Hope Harbor, says that anyone dealing with domestic violence is there to help in any situation.

“Love doesn’t hurt it shouldn’t hurt that there is help, that you don’t have to say that you’re not in this alone and that you have people that will support you and help you move forward to a life free from violence,” said Lindsey Reis

If you are someone or you know someone who is dealing with domestic violence Hope Harbour has a 24-hour crisis line. That number is 706-324-3850.

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