SALISBURY — In front of dozens of pairs of purple shoes laid across the Rowan County Courthouse steps representing the victims of domestic violence, the Family Crisis Council of Rowan held a candlelight vigil raising awareness about the issue of domestic violence in the community.

“Domestic violence is often a silent epidemic, hidden behind closed doors and whispered about in secret. But, tonight for this vigil we bring it to the light. We refuse to let those who have suffered be forgotten,” said Executive Director Angela Chapman-McDavid.

The event was previously held in October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, annually, but was put on hold for the COVID pandemic and only restarted in 2024. Kimberly Fowler, the organization’s shelter director, said that while the turnout on Thursday was not as large as it had been in the past, the organization hopes to build it back up.

After Chapman-McDavid and Grants Director Spencer Dixon spoke on the courthouse steps, all of the attendees lit their candles and held a moment of silence.

“This simple yet profound act is a way for us to honor the victims whose lives were tragically cut short and to show unwavering support for the survivors who are rebuilding their lives. The glow of these candles symbolizes not just remembrance, but also hope. Hope that through our collective awareness and effort, fewer lives will be impacted by this senseless violence,” said Chapman-McDavid.

The purple shoes on the steps represented the various individuals who have been victims of domestic violence, and included men’s, women’s and children’s shoes. Purple is the nationally-recognized color for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

During his speech, Dixon shared some of the statistics from the Governor’s Crime Commission’s Criminal Justice Analysis Center that opened his eyes to the size of the issue in the Rowan County community. Out of assaults in the county where potential relationship between victim and aggressor was tracked, 318, or approximately 32 percent, were considered domestic violence in 2022. That number included victims who were assaulted by people within their family or by a person with whom they were in a current or former intimate relationship.

“However, after being with Family Crisis Council, I know that’s not the whole number. That’s only what’s being reported and multiple people have walked through our doors to get assistance that don’t necessarily go down the criminal justice route,” said Dixon.

Dixon said that almost everyone has either been in a domestic violence situation or knows someone that has gone through a domestic violence situation.

After the vigil, Chapman-McDavid shared the reason that she is so passionate about advocating for the victims of domestic violence. When she was a law student at Florida A&M University, her daughter was the victim of a domestic dispute that ended with her being shot in the head.

“In that moment, when I was literally in the waiting room, waiting for her to come out of surgery, I decided that I didn’t want to practice law and that I wanted to go into nonprofit leadership, either in domestic violence or youth services or recovery, something that would allow me to really give back to the community and make a difference,” said Chapman-McDavid.

Her daughter’s two children came to live with Chapman-McDavid, and she finished her law degree and began working with nonprofit organizations focused on raising awareness about domestic violence and supporting victims. Most recently, she served as the executive director of Voices Against Violence in Twin Falls, Idaho before joining the Family Crisis Council.

The organization operates a 24-hour crisis line where Dixon said that anyone can talk to trained advocates at any time, even on holidays or other conventional non-business times, because “we understand the moment you might need to leave could be at any moment of the day.” The crisis line is 704-636-4718, extension 1.

Family Crisis Council also operates an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence who need temporary housing, which is in an undisclosed location. Fowler, who has worked in the shelter in multiple capacities for approximately 13 years, said that people are connected to the shelter via the crisis line. When they arrive, they are connected with an on-site case manager, who assists them with anything they need. Several common needs that Fowler pointed to were help getting new Social Security cards or birth certificates, which can get left behind as people leave the dangerous situation.

Fowler said that the shelter was recently renovated so that it can house people of any gender as well as children and can typically house approximately 30 people.

“We make it feel like home as much as possible. They come in, work the program and we give them the housing and resources and work closely with community partners. Most of the time, nine out of 10, we get them housed and they don’t have to go back. Some of them go back, and that’s okay, we give them a safety plan in case something else happens, they’ll know how to get out again and they can come back,” said Fowler.

Fowler said that the shelter is accepting donations of common household items, such as cleaning supplies, paper towels and toilet paper. Donations of clothing items are currently on hold due to a resurgence in COVID infections, she said. Donations of items can be dropped off at the Family Crisis Council office at 502 N. Long St., Salisbury. Information about donating monetarily and a list of requested items can be found on the organization’s website at fccrowan.org/donate.