DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS HONORED WITH CANDLELIGHT VIGIL AND MEMORIAL PROGRAM

October 31, 2023: On October 12, the Alexandria Domestic Violence Program (DVP) hosted a Silent Witness Candlelight Vigil and Memorial Program outside of City Hall, including a private viewing for families affected by domestic violence. 

This public event is designed to raise awareness of domestic violence and create a space of healing through a visual memorial, which includes life-sized silhouettes of people in Alexandria who have been lost to acts of domestic violence. 

During fiscal year 2023, the City’s DVP responded to more than 3,400 hotline calls with the assistance of volunteers who provided nearly 2,300 hours of service across DVP.  The program also provided shelter to 66 adults and 74 children in the Safehouse.

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive or coercive behaviors such as physical assaults, verbal abuse, or threat or harm that are used by one individual to exert power or control over another in the context of a family or intimate relationship. These acts can be perpetrated by a current or former spouse or partner, parent, or relative and can occur in relationships between people who do not live together and persons in same-sex relationships.

To learn more about the Silent Witness Initiative, visit www.silentwitness.net.

For more information about domestic violence and the Alexandria Domestic Violence Program, visit alexandriava.gov/DomesticViolence. If you or someone you know may be a victim of domestic violence, call 703.746.4911 to speak with someone about the services offered.