COLUMBUS, Ohio — In an effort to address the growing issue of domestic violence homicides and murder-suicides in the city of Columbus this year, a local nonprofit took to the streets Saturday night.
Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children are working to bring awareness to the issue in an effort to intervene and get people the help they may need.
This week, two separate incidents resulted in five people, including an infant, being found dead as a result of domestic violence. Both incidents are being investigated as murder-suicides.
So far this year, there have been 18 homicides related to domestic violence in Columbus.
MOMCC gathered together in partnership with Columbus Violence Reduction to bring attention to the issue and provide resources to the community.
"Love doesn't hurt, and love surely shouldn't kill,” said Malissa Thomas St. Clair, founder of MOMCC.
Thomas St. Clair said the effort is all about meeting the community where they are.
"Domestic violence is so hard to prevent. You don't know because it's the silent killer,” Thomas St. Clair said.
Ronnette Hairston understands that struggle firsthand.
"I was a victim of domestic violence with my ex-husband,” Hairston said.
Although it was hard for her to leave because of their children, Hairston said she knew she didn’t have a choice.
"I felt like if I wouldn't have left, I wouldn't still be here today to be with my children,” Hairston said.
Hairston hopes that sharing her story of survival can inspire others to do the same.
"Reach out and talk to someone and get help. Don't stay in a situation that you don't have to be in. Love don't hurt you, you know, they don't love you if they're hurting you,” Hairston said.
"By coming out in the streets, we hope that a voice of someone who's silently struggling through this can be empowered to get help,” Thomas St. Clair said.
This effort is part of their bigger initiative to keep homicides in Columbus under triple digits this year.
As of Saturday, there have been 82 total homicides in the city. Thomas St. Clair said she hopes with three and a half months left of the year, they can continue their push to end the violence throughout the community.
"To our offenders, it doesn't have to end in homicide,” Thomas St. Clair said.