♪ [opening melody] ♪ ♪ [Playing Bag Pipe] ♪ Beryl Dakers: You are viewing scenes from a previous Silent Witness ceremony, the ceremony is held annually here on the statehouse grounds.

This solemn event kicks off Domestic Violence Awareness Month in our state and across the nation.

Hello, I'm Beryl Dakers.

Welcome to Palmetto Scene.

In this edition as we spotlight domestic violence, we begin by taking a look at the unique domestic violence challenges facing the Native American communities here in the Palmetto State.

We'll also look at what is being done to support victims and survivors of this deadly epidemic.

♪ Terence: Unfortunately, according to a survey that was conducted by the South Carolina Indian Affairs commission in 2018.

It revealed that almost half, 49% of Native American women in South Carolina have experienced domestic violence.

We knew that it was prevalent.

We are close as women.

And of course we talk.

But we had done a survey Previous to that.

And we decided what we would do is ask, what are your top concerns your top three concerns in your family?

And domestic violence was one of those.

So we decided to pinpoint that further and do a survey with the USC School of Social Work that was centered on domestic violence itself.

And that's where we discovered that particular data.

I wasn't floored, to be honest, because I've grown up with that kind of situation.

So I'm fairly, unfortunately familiar with it.

I am also a survivor myself.

And I think the most disheartening thing to me was that it was it's not being addressed in Native American communities.

South Carolina has no forms, the police force does not have any forms when they fill out police reports about victim victimization of women.

And you got to remember that few domestic violence situations are reported as it is.

So we don't get a call a good picture.

But we get even less of a picture about Native American women, because there is no box to check that particular race on police reports.

So what we want to do is work with police jurisdictions, hopefully through the lieutenant governor's Human Trafficking Task Force, and have those forms changed, where we are listed on them so that we can get hard data about what's happening with our women in South Carolina.

We do know from police reports on the North Carolina, South Carolina border, that that is a hotspot for missing and murdered Indigenous women.

There are many reasons for it.

The strain of poverty, lack of culture, sometimes education, substance abuse due to those frustrations.

Now that would account for intimate partner violence.

But we also have statistics that show that nine times out of 10, domestic violence and sexual assault are often strangers.

So it is not just within Native American families, it is the dominant population.

So when I say strangers in domestic violence, I should qualify that and say by a non Indian person, or a non native american person.

And that has a lot to do with it can be often be jurisdictional.

If you have a reservation that has it's own court system and its own police, we cannot try a non tribal, we cannot try, we cannot try someone who is not a tribal member in our courts.

So, if there's not enough evidence, or if that loophole is not addressed outside of our community, then there's no way to prosecute.

And we have asked Congress over and over and over again, to address that loophole, to please give us jurisdiction over crimes committed on our own lands.

One in every three Native American women is murdered.

Right now we have an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women, it is overwhelming.

In the area where Gabby Petito was murdered, there were 701 Indigenous women murdered.

And there has been nothing done to address it.

No faces, no media, no television, no nothing.

And there never is.

There are over 6000 indigenous, missing and murdered Indigenous women.

We are easy, easy, we are easy prey.

Because no one addresses the situation when it happens.

What I would like to see is for more men to participate in these campaigns, I would like to see for more men and sons to use their voices in the media and in public.

We conducted a campaign three years ago where we asked for the men in our tribes to stand up and have their picture taken and be used on Facebook and in the media and say why domestic violence is wrong and is a crime and that our women are sacred.

And that's another thing I would like to see come out of this is that for women to truly understand the value of their sacred ness.

Beryl Dakers: Next is the powerful story of Nefeteri Smalls, who witnessed and suffered domestic abuse for most of her adolescent life.

Nefeteri emerged from the pain of domestic violence to create, "Healing Hurts Ministries", through her book, "Cries From Within", and the short film, "Escaped To Tell".

She used her life experiences to help free other victims.

From the lingering negative effects of domestic violence.

♪ Nefeteri: I always tell people that I didn't choose the topic of domestic violence.

It chose me.I know I did not get to this place without God so it was my relationship with the Lord that really helped to build who I am today.

When I was a young girl actually at the age of three, my family and I used to live in Brooklyn, New York, and my father brutally murdered my mother in front of myself and my siblings and after that murder we were all sent to South Carolina to live with relatives.

Not only did I face that domestic violence but also experienced sexual assault from a family member as well as verbal, mental, emotional abuse growing up, and anybody that knows anything about childhood trauma having dealt with domestic violence so early, it only just built upon all the hurt that I was experiencing, which made it difficult for me to, you know, be a young woman, how to develop my identity, who I was.

And so I really felt compelled to reach out to the other Nefateris' who may have been experiencing similar things.

I know everybody doesn't go through the same thing but maybe somebody's experienced domestic violence and maybe they've experienced sexual assault.

Maybe they've had the neglect and abuse, but I wanted them to know that they're not defined by what they experienced.

You can escape to tell.

Baby, what's wrong?

Why don't you believe?

Baby, did you take your medicine today?

Why you don't believe?

Everything starts today.

- Start what?

This.

Please not today.

Start what?

I don't know what you talking about.

Did you take your medicine today, baby?

Don't start today, baby.

Don't start today!

Don't start with me today, Eric, No!

No, Eric!

Get off of me!

So that's how it's gonna be, huh?

[Crying] Eric, baby, I can't do this with you no more, Eric, you gotta get help.

Eric you gotta get help.

I can't do this with you.

Eric, I can't do this.

Stop!

What, huh?

You gonna tell me now?

- Eric, stop!

God, don't make me use it, I swear.

Eric, please.

Daddy?

When I started out making the film, I'm going to be honest, I never had any idea that I would do a film based off of my life story.

I released the book back in 2004.

It was called "Cries From Within".

When I was going through, you know, all of what I experienced as a child, I started writing poetry and just different things just to help me to cope and so after I gave my life to the Lord, you know, he impressed upon my heart to release the book for other people to come through, and so that's what I did.

And while doing an interview with someone in the Charleston area, they connected me with an executive producer and thought, you know, you could reach more people, because everybody doesn't read books but we know everybody watches movies, so we connected and from there the door swung open and so with that we were able to produce that film.

Now let me tell you it was emotionally gripping to look at, watching your life on screen, but I was even more empowered because I realized that me being transparent, me telling my story was setting somebody else free.

So I've had multiple people share their testimonies of how they never told anyone that they were sexually assaulted, never told anyone about the abuse they endured as a child, but because of my bravery to stand and open up and tell my story, other people's story was told as well.

We have a forum.

It's called not on my watch, which is a conversation between the church and the other leaders in the community who deal with domestic violence.

What we do know is that most people report their abuse to their clergy, to a faith leader or someone in the congregation - over eighty percent of the people and because of that we know that over twenty years South Carolina has ranked in the top ten as one of the worst states to live for females because they're killed by a boyfriend, spouse or live-in partner or ex boyfriend.

So if we know that the church is one of the places where it's being reported the most, then what are we doing to make sure that we're advocating inside our churches for relationships, you know, not to blame anybody or to say that it's the church's fault, but just raising awareness and letting the church know that because this part of advocacy is important, it's people from the community that are coming to our churches, you know.

Are we making sure we're implementing to know what relationships look like or what they should look like, or making sure somebody's experience with abuse as a child or are even in their young adult years, are they totally healed?

We're ministering to their spirit, but are their emotions really whole?

So that's the purpose of our conversation.

I was somebody who was affected by domestic violence because my mom's life was taken and and I witnessed that, and so what I encourage you to do is to recognize that you are not defined by what you have experienced.

You have the power and authority to determine what you're going to allow in your life, what you're going to do, where do you see yourself in the future, and recognizing that there's truly a plan for who you are and for what you will become.

If you're in that situation right now, just know that there's another woman, there's another man, there's another boy or girl that needs to hear your story, not as a survivor, but as a thriver.

Beryl Dakers: As we mentioned at the top of the show, The Silent Witness ceremony is one way that this state Attorney General's Office recognizes the victims and survivors of domestic violence.

ETV Bradley Fuller recently spoke with Monique Garvin to gain insight into the importance of this event.

Bradley: Thanks Beryl.

To learn more about silent witness.

I'm here with Monique Garvin, who is the VAWA or violence against women act coordinator, for the Office of the South Carolina Attorney General.

Monique thanks so much for joining today.

Monique: Thank you for having me.

I'm excited to share with you guys about a lot of what we are doing in the office.

Bradley: I was wondering what all goes into silent witness.

And you know, first, what is the mission or purpose of this event.

Monique: So the mission of the event is to bring awareness to the state of criminal domestic violence.

As you know that domestic violence is one of the top crimes in our state.

This is the first time we rate number 11, not in the top 10.

So when you look at the violence policies and report what they do in a war report that rates states from least to greatest.

South Carolina has consistently ranked in the top 10.

So it's important for us to bring awareness to the issue and help families we have closure after such a tragic event.

Bradley: And what all goes into putting this event on I mean, I see a lot of coordination and you know, reaching out to people.

Monique: Yeah, so it takes me about nine months to plan the event.

So typically, as soon as I finished one solid witness, I'm headed back since planning another.

So this time period between October and December is kind of like the grant planning stage.

But around January we go ahead and start reserving the statehouse grounds to make sure that we have the south steps of the South Carolina State House.

And then about February or March, we begin to compile documentation to send out to the agencies across the state.

So we send information out to solicitor's offices, chiefs offices, sheriff's offices, coroner's offices, anyone that has any contact with any of the victims, in their locale in their local precincts.

Once we have those compiled in that information together, we reach out to the families.

And that is always a challenging process.

Because sometimes families aren't often in the same place they were a year ago.

So it really takes a lot of coordination between my office and the other offices throughout the state to ensure that information is correct.

If families are interested, then we invite them to the State House Grounds on the second Tuesday of the month.

And from there, we will ask that they want to hold a silhouette, we'll see if they want to send the photo ID of your loved one.

In then we will start compiling the book for the ceremony.

And then we just make sure that everything that we have in the booklet in the ceremony is accurate.

And then we also invite community members throughout the state to act as volunteers, to hold the silhouettes for the family members who are able to attend.

So that's kind of the gist of the program.

But it is a very lengthy process, but it's very rewarding and we're glad to put it on for everyone.

Bradley: Do you ever hear from family members who are able to attend?

You know what this event means to them?

Or maybe if it changed their perspective or help them through this grieving process?

Monique: You know, I think for a lot of families, it brings some sense of closure and I don't think they feel as alone because domestic violence can feel like a very isolating event you know, if you've have someone if you've personally gone through or if you're a secondary survivors of violence, if you've seen it or witnessed it, I think sometimes it feels like you're it's happening by yourself and no one knows and no one's paying attention.

But I think we host a ceremony to bring awareness but also to like, you know, we are listening, we're still combating this issue.

You're not you haven't been forgotten.

And it also just helped I think survivors and their families come to the ceremony.

It helps them kind of know get to know each other and make those connections as well.

And so that concludes the update people practice I believe.

Bradley: I know you said it takes nine months of planning to put the event on but does that leave any time for any other programs or initiatives for your office?

Monique: Yeah, so we have a lot of a lot of initiatives in our office.

We are working on things like domestic violence protocols and sexual assault protocols for law enforcement, prosecutors, the judicial sector to ensure that we are all effectively responding to domestic violence in a coordinated response and a coordinated response.

And we also work with legislation advocating for things that we think will be instrumental in helping move South Carolina forwad to a pathway of having a safe community.

I also provide technical assistance to the domestic violence coordinating councils in the Sexual assault Response Teams.

And those are really situated in different counties throughout the state to provide a more community center approach to domestic violence because how we address demestic violence in Sumter county or Richland county or Horry county might look very different.

And it's important that we have people who are on the ground doing the work to be able to help us inform how we need to support it.

Bradley: Certainly listed a lot of initiatives available.

If there was one thing you might say to someone who might be experiencing domestic violence right now that perhaps your office could help with what would that be?

Monique: So I would say that, while domestic violence is oftentimes perpetuated in solitude in silos, I think that the communal effects of domestic violence are long lasting.

And it affects everyone because when you have when you send a child to school, who would maybe experienced domestic violence in the home, maybe even witnessing it, it sends the message that this is okay to do, or this is how I'm supposed to be treated, or this is how I should treat others.

And so I think that it's important for us to all have compassion, because we never know who might be experiencing abuse.

Abuse has not happened in one zip code or another or a one gender or one race or one socio economic status.

So it's important for us to have compassion, and to be knowledgeable about it, and just knowing how to respond, even if it's just listening.

Listening ear, in our office is always available to provide resources.

We provide brochures, posters, if anyone ever wants you know, us to do a presentation at their school to teach your children about domestic violence or in the church or in their workplaces, we're always available, willing to help.

Our program staffs myself, along with a special prosecutor who also prosecutes those crimes.

So domestic violence and other are related crimes and our director, obviously.

So we all have a very different set of skills and skill sets.

And we're always working together to make sure that we are responding in a way that is coordinated and effective.

Bradley: Oh Monique, thanks so much for sharing today and for all the important work you're doing here in South Carolina.

Monique: Thank you so much for having me.

Beryl Dakers: A reminder that we all have a part to play in the fight to end domestic abuse.

For more stories about our state and more details on the stories you've just seen.

Do visit our website @palmettoscene.org.

And of course don't forget to follow us on social media, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram at SCETV #palmettoscene.

For all of us here at ETV and Palmetto Scene I'm Beryl Dakers, Good night and thanks for watching.

♪ [Bag Pipes playing] ♪ ♪ [Closing Music] ♪