{“subject”:”[The Georgia Sun] Contact The Georgia Sun”,”ip”:”24.99.39.96″,”entry_title”:”Contact The Georgia Sun”,”entry_page”:1,”fields”:[{“key”:”1_Name”,”label”:”Name”,”value”:”Deanna”,”type”:”name”,”meta”:[],”form_field_id”:”g32245-name”},{“key”:”2_Email”,”label”:”Email”,”value”:”danderson@705marketing.com”,”type”:”email”,”meta”:[],”form_field_id”:”g32245-email”},{“key”:”3_Message”,”label”:”Message”,”value”:”Candlelight Vigil Honors Survivors & Lives Lost to Domestic Violence \u2014 Oct. 16, Decatur\r\n\r\nEach year, hundreds of Georgians lose their lives to domestic violence \u2014 and hundreds more rebuild theirs through courage and community.\r\nOn Thursday, October 16 at 7 p.m., the Women\u2019s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence (WRCDV) will host its annual Candlelight Vigil at the Chapel on Sycamore (318 Sycamore Street, Decatur) to honor survivors, remember the 133 lives lost to domestic violence this year, and call for renewed action to end abuse.\r\nThis year\u2019s vigil carries particular weight:\r\nDeKalb County alone accounts for 14% of Georgia\u2019s domestic violence deaths \u2014 the highest of any county.\r\n\r\n\r\nSurvivors and advocates will share personal stories of resilience, including voices from WRCDV\u2019s Safe House and legal advocacy programs.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe event is free and open to the public, drawing community leaders, faith partners, and those working on the front lines of crisis response.\r\n\r\n\r\nWhy it matters:\r\n Domestic violence remains a critical issue in Georgia. In 2024, WRCDV served more than 7,300 survivors \u2014 77% through legal advocacy \u2014 and answered over 19,000 crisis calls. The organization also provided safe housing for 150 adults and children, helping 73% transition into stable homes and maintain stability for at least a year.\r\nStory opportunity:\r\n Media are invited to attend and capture powerful moments of remembrance and solidarity \u2014 hundreds of candles lit in memory of victims, survivor testimony, and remarks from local leaders.\r\nWRCDV will also highlight two major milestones in its mission:\r\nThe relaunch of the SISTERs Stories podcast (Oct. 7), a survivor-led series sharing raw, inspiring stories of strength and recovery.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe integration of the DeKalb Rape Crisis Center (Day League), expanding services to include 24\/7 sexual assault crisis response, forensic medical exams, and trauma counseling.\r\n\r\n\r\nEvent Details:\r\n \ud83d\udcc5 Thursday, October 16, 2025 \u2013 7:00 PM\r\n \ud83d\udccd Chapel on Sycamore, 318 Sycamore Street, Decatur\r\n \ud83c\udf99 Speakers: Survivors, advocates, and community leaders\r\nThank you for helping us shine light on the strength of survivors and the urgent need to end domestic violence.”,”type”:”textarea”,”meta”:[],”form_field_id”:”g32245-message”}]}