COLUMBIA, S.C. — “We saw the signs, but we never thought in a million years that our brother- that Reggie would lose his life,” said Cynthia Ford.
Ford says her brother, Reginald Ford, was a sweet, humble man who loved his family. Ford died due to a domestic violence incident on Dec. 2, 2022.
“It’s the first time we’ve had to deal with something on this level and it’s just- it’s very heavy,” Ford said.
Ford and her family members were among dozens of others taking part in Tuesday's silent witness ceremony at the statehouse. For 26 years, victims of fatal domestic abuse in South Carolina have been honored through the ceremony.
Each cutout placed on the statehouse steps represents one person who lost their life due to domestic violence in South Carolina in the past year. During this year’s ceremony, they honored 29 women, seven men and one purple silhouette for potential unknown victims.
Family members carried these cutouts as Attorney General Alan Wilson read out each name, and a bell was rung for each victim.
“Ceremonies like this are so important because we don’t ever want to become complacent in trying to eradicate violence in the intimate home setting,” Wilson said.
A Violence Policy Center report based on 2020 data says South Carolina was 23rd in the nation for men killing women. This was one of two years in the past two decades when our state wasn’t listed in the nation’s top 10 states where men killed women.
“Each one of those wooden carve outs was a life that was snuffed out in its prime,” Wilson said. “But it’s a constant reminder that we should always be vigilant in working to try and stop that from happening to another person ever again.”
For Monica Hatton, sharing her daughter Jaylan Sarah Hasty’s story is one way she works to prevent similar situations and grieve.
“I want the world to know that her name won’t go down in vain,” Hatton said.
Hatton says honoring her alongside other grieving families was therapeutic and inspiring.
“I don’t want just this year to be my focus, but next year and all the years to come,” Hatton said. “I want to portray that we gotta be a voice. We don’t need any more victims. We need survivors.”
The Violence Policy Center will release a 25-year report Wednesday detailing data and trends across the nation related to killing women. This report will have an updated total for South Carolina domestic fatalities.