Sound the Silence in Domestic Violence

Cheryl Anise Bethea was a 43 year old mother of a 19 year old daughter and 21 year old son, a proud grandmother, nicknaming herself "Glammother" of a 9 mo baby boy (she endearingly nicknamed him, "Grump"), a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a niece, and a friend. She was an avid runner, a devoted church member that loved God, a lover of people where she captured the hearts of many. She had a big heart and an illuminating personality with a big beautiful smile who never met a stranger.

 

On August 25, 2014, her life was snuffed away in such a senseless and cowardly act of Domestic Violence. As she stood outside, in front of her home, fighting for her life, she was stabbed over 30 times by a man, she dated for nearly 3 years after filing a restraining order against him on that very same day.                                      

 

After the death ofour beloved Cheryl, we realized Domestic Violence is a silent killer, mentally, physically, and emotionally that must be sounded. With her love ones unaware of the mental and physical abuse she endured day in and day out, her energetic, radiate personality was slowly being snuffed out of her, eventually, losing her life so quickly in an untimely death.

 

Through her death, we realized silence is a major problem in DV and we missed a lot of signs as her family, as well as friends. Because her death was so unexpected, her family was left picking up so many shattered and scattered pieces. The life she left behind was so unfinished and her children and grandchild were in immediate need of shelter and financial assistance.

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As Cheryl's sister began to share her sister's story, experience, and pain with domestic violence she begin realize the stigma, silence, and shame was a prisoner and silent killer, not only physically, but mentally amongst victims as well as survivors. Shortly after Cheryl's death, it was at that time, Sound the Silence in Domestic Violence, nonprofit charitable organization was birthed by her sister.