As domestic violence homicides spike in Lexington, city launches program to target trend
Whit Whitaker’s plea on Wednesday was simple.
“We can no longer stay silent,” Whitaker said. “If we don’t do something before it’s too late, more people will die.”
Whitaker, the executive director of the Lyric Theatre, is part of new public push to address domestic violence as the city’s domestic-violence related homicides spiked this year. Of the 39 homicides to date, 12 were believed to be related to domestic violence.
“We had none last year at this time,” said Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton during a Wednesday press conference unveiling the new initiative: “It’s Time.”
Whitaker is also a victim of a domestic violence.
“It wears on you,” Whitaker said. “There are people out there that don’t speak up. It’s important for the victims that we protect them. If you see something, hear something, say something and do something.”
In addition to new videos featuring several well-known members of the community like chef Ouita Michel and Everett McCorvey, the director of the University of Kentucky’s Opera program, Gorton said the city is also encouraging all victims to call the city’s 3-1-1 system if they need help.
The 3-1-1 system is easy to remember and city officials can then connect victims with the help they need — whether it be shelter services of law enforcement, Gorton said.
“Domestic violence often happens in isolation,” Gorton said. “We will need the whole community together; judges, advocates, survivors, prosecutors and residents to speak up and say; ‘It’s Time, Lexington.’”
Stephanie Theakston, director of the city’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition, said Wednesday’s roll out of the “It’s Time” public awareness campaign is the first phase of multi-pronged approach to raising awareness about domestic violence.
The second phase, which will begin in January, will be about prompting conversations in workplaces, places of worship and other venues to have honest dialogue city-wide about domestic violence. The third phase will ask people to take positive steps such as undergoing training to know how to intervene in a domestic violence situations and pledging to be a workplace that supports domestic violence survivors.
Theakston also said it’s time to stop blaming victims or victim behavior.
“Leaving is a process,” Theakston said of domestic violence victims.
Also, everyone knows someone who has caused harm to someone else through domestic violence.
Domestic violence is not a private issue. It’s a community issue, Theakston said.
The city has also launched a new website to help people with difficult conversations about domestic violence at itstimelexington.org.
Some of the domestic-violence related homicides this year included multiple victims. In May, Steven Rubert Wilson, 64, was charged with three counts of murder domestic violence.
The three victims were Lisa Wilson, 65, Bryonny Wilson, 42, and Bronwyn Wilson, 38. The victims were Steven Wilson’s wife and daughters, according to an arrest citation filed in Fayette District Court. He shot them with a handgun, according to court records.
Nikki James was arrested and charged with murder domestic violence after she allegedly stabbed her two children, Deon Williams,13, and Skyler Williams, 5, in May.
