On October 1, the sidewalks of downtown Amarillo filled with a sea of purple. Families, advocates, law enforcement leaders, survivors, and community members came together for the Domestic Violence Awareness Walk, organized by the Domestic Violence Coalition (DVC). The annual event marks the beginning of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and sends a unified message: domestic violence is not just a private issue—it is a community crisis that demands daily attention.
Participants walked about half a mile from Legal Aid of Northwest Texas on SW 8th Avenue to the Potter County Courthouse lawn. Carrying signs with messages like “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” and “Break the Silence”, they turned Amarillo’s downtown streets into a visible demonstration of unity. For many, the event was not just about awareness—it was about honoring lives lost, supporting survivors, and sparking action that extends beyond October.
Why Awareness Matters
Domestic violence is defined by the Texas Advocacy Project as “willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.” It can include physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, and economic abuse. Crucially, it does not discriminate—affecting people across all ages, income levels, races, and neighborhoods.
In just the past six months, law enforcement in Potter and Randall counties reported approximately 1,700 cases of domestic violence. These are not abstract statistics. As State Rep. Caroline Fairly reminded the crowd, “Those aren’t just statistics — they are people, families, stories of brokenness and hurt. But they are also stories of resilience and hope.”
Fairly stressed that domestic violence is one of Texas’s most urgent but underreported issues, noting that young women between 16 and 24 are three times more likely to experience abuse than the national average. “That reality is unacceptable,” she said, adding that while stronger laws are necessary, “community action is what saves lives.”
A Community Stepping Up
This year’s turnout was the largest the walk has seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Families stood shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement officers, prosecutors, advocates, and elected officials. Booths lined the courthouse lawn, providing resources from Family Support Services (FSS) and other organizations. Food trucks and community partners created a welcoming space, but the tone of the event remained urgent and deeply personal.
Randall County District Attorney Robert Love, who has spent more than 30 years in prosecution, explained why awareness is critical. In nearly every case he has handled, victims endured abuse multiple times before contacting law enforcement. That delay, he said, is part of the cycle of silence and fear that allows abuse to escalate. “This can’t just be about one month,” Love told attendees. “We need awareness every day, and we need friends, family, coworkers — everyone — to be willing to say something when they see something.”
Love also shared a personal experience that motivated him to get more involved in domestic violence advocacy. While working at the Randall County District Attorney’s Office, he repeatedly saw the same woman seek, and then withdraw from, protective orders against her partner. The fourth time, she pursued the case—only because she was in the ICU with severe injuries. “From that time forward, that had an impact on me. I knew we weren’t going to be able to solve every case every time, but I wanted to do as much as I could in that area,” he said.
47th District Attorney Jason Herring echoed the message. “A journey from domestic violence victim to domestic violence survivor is not short, and it’s not easy,” he said. “When someone is ready to take that step, these organizations — and all of us — must be here to help them along the way.” He noted that the large turnout reflects growing recognition across Amarillo that domestic violence touches far too many lives.
The Personal Cost of Silence
For many attendees, the walk was more than symbolic. Families carried photos of loved ones who had been killed by abusive partners. Among them was Erica Vongkhampra, holding a framed picture of her daughter, 20-year-old Ariana Estrada, who was killed in May. In the photo, Ariana smiled with her young son. “Her life was taken by her partner,” Vongkhampra said. “Since then, we’ve been fighting to stay connected with my grandson, who is now out of our lives too.”
Through tears, she admitted that she had known Ariana was in an abusive relationship but struggled to intervene. “I didn’t think he would really go to that extreme. I live with a lot of regrets,” she said. Her message to other families was clear: “Don’t be scared to say something. Always do something about it. Don’t try to ignore it, because you never know what can happen.”
Surrounded by others who had lost loved ones, Vongkhampra found solidarity in shared grief. “It’s sad how many people were there because they had lost someone to this,” she said. Her words underscored the walk’s message: silence can be deadly, but speaking up can save lives.
Breaking the Stigma
Advocates emphasized that one of the greatest barriers to addressing domestic violence is the stigma surrounding it. Azelin Roberts, advocacy volunteer and recruitment coordinator for Family Support Services, explained: “There’s a stigma around [domestic violence], there’s a lot of shame around it, and sometimes people aren’t ready to leave those relationships, and that’s a really big part of our program.”
Family Support Services (FSS) and the Domestic Violence Coalition provide critical support, whether or not a victim is ready to leave their relationship. Services include safety planning, a 24-hour bilingual hotline, an emergency safe house, and walk-in support at their offices on SW 7th Avenue. The message is clear: help is available without judgment, and survivors are not alone.
“[FSS and DVC are] helping these people get help, but it’s also saving lives,” Roberts said. “And that sounds really daunting and maybe even dramatic to some people, but that’s really the reality that our community is facing.”
Building Change Beyond October
Fairly, who supported legislation this year to strengthen penalties for abusers who violate protective orders, emphasized that laws are only one piece of the puzzle. “What moves the needle is what happens here — the advocates, the survivors, the families who are willing to share their stories,” she said. She pledged to keep domestic violence prevention on her agenda when the Texas Legislature reconvenes in 2027. “This has to be everybody’s priority. When we are united, we can make a huge difference.”
Prosecutor Robert Love agreed that progress should not be measured only by turnout at events but by reductions in cases. “I’d love to say we’ll get to zero, but that’s not realistic,” he said. “What I want is for next October’s number to be significantly lower than this year’s. That’s how we’ll know we’re making a difference.”
Upcoming events include a gathering hosted by Arianna’s Light on October 4 at El Alamo Park and another awareness walk on October 11 at Amarillo College’s Oeschger Family Mall. These events are part of a month-long effort to highlight the issue, but advocates insist the commitment must last all year.
What You Can Do
Domestic violence thrives in silence and isolation. Events like the Amarillo walk remind us that prevention and intervention start at the community level. Here are a few ways to make a difference:
Speak up. If you suspect someone is in danger, don’t ignore it. Offer support, resources, and encouragement.
Educate yourself. Learn the warning signs of abuse, which can include controlling behavior, isolation, financial restrictions, and threats.
Support local resources. Organizations like Family Support Services rely on community donations, volunteers, and advocacy.
Challenge stigma. Domestic violence is not a private shame—it is a public issue. Talking about it openly reduces fear and empowers survivors.
Advocate for change. Support policies that strengthen protections for survivors and hold offenders accountable.
Final Thoughts
The Domestic Violence Awareness Walk in Amarillo was not just a march across downtown. It was a collective stand—a declaration that domestic violence will not be ignored, minimized, or hidden behind closed doors. For survivors, it was a chance to find strength in community. For families of victims, it was a moment of remembrance and a call to action. For the wider community, it was a reminder that awareness cannot end with October.
As Caroline Fairly said, “This has to be everybody’s priority.” Whether through policy, advocacy, or personal action, each step toward awareness and accountability matters. The walk may have covered only 0.4 miles, but the journey to end domestic violence in Amarillo, in Texas, and across the nation stretches much farther. It is a journey that requires every community member to walk together—today, tomorrow, and every day.
