To the Editor:

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your focus on sexual violence (REACH special section, www.smokymountainnews.com), for the column by Dr. Sara Vogel, for the article about the middle school prevention program.

I haven’t even finished reading it all, but this is important and I wanted you to know how much it is appreciated.

My high school English teacher might have had a love-hate relationship with the phrase “hurt people hurt people,” challenged by its poetic symmetry yet grammatical ambiguity. My hesitation in putting it on a bumper sticker is that it could easily be mistaken for an imperative. It isn’t. A less succinct — but clearer — version would read: People who are hurting often hurt others. 

A still photo extracted from a deputy’s body-cam video shows a critical moment in the events of April 6, 2024, in front of a home near Lake Logan Road, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch told jury members this week. 

In the photo the defendant, Steven Hawkins, 49, is pictured. He grips a double-barreled shotgun and directly faces law enforcement officers. 

October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), a time to raise our collective consciousness about family violence in our community and to highlight the critical support systems available for survivors locally.  

Maggie Jackson doesn’t plan to stop spreading awareness about domestic violence in her community come November. Instead, the Qualla Boundary Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s group co-chair knows it to be a timeless issue. 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month in the United States.

This week, the Smoky Mountain News has partnered with REACH of Haywood County to publish a series of stories outlining the ways domestic violence perpetrators can victimize those they should love and what resources are available for anyone in need.  

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month — a time to honor survivors, remember those lost to violence and recommit to building a community where everyone feels safe and valued. For nearly four decades, REACH of Haywood County has been doing exactly that: working quietly but persistently to make Haywood County a safer, stronger place to live. 

Every October, we see purple ribbons, social media posts and brief mentions on the news about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For many, it comes and goes like any other month. But for survivors, advocates and loved ones, October carries the weight of remembrance, grief and determination. 

More than 180 guests gathered at Chestnut Ridge Wedding Venue in Canton for REACH of Haywood County’s third annual Women of Vision Fashion Show on Sept. 25.  

What began three years ago as a creative fundraiser to uplift women and raise awareness about domestic violence has now become one of the community’s most anticipated events — a day that celebrates resilience, connection and hope. 

Domestic violence is widely misunderstood. Most individuals who have not had the unfortunate experience of living through it often hold misconceptions that minimize its severity. This ignorance can lead to responses that are inappropriate, callous and ultimately perpetuate the problem. Misconceptions frequently involve victim-blaming or a lack of understanding about what domestic violence truly entails.