LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX News) — The executive director of Greenhouse17 says Thursday's deadly stabbing in Lexington is another tragic reminder of the reality facing many Kentuckians who are living with intimate partner abuse.
Darlene Thomas said she is grieving for the family of the victim in the incident on Valhalla Drive, identified as 34-year-old Candice Lynn Mackie.
"Every time I read these horrific acts, it makes me just stop," Thomas said. "And you have this moment of terrible grief for the family."
The mission at Greenhouse17 is straightforward: ending intimate partner abuse in families and the community. But Thomas said leaving an abusive relationship is far more complex and often dangerous.
"If somebody's having to flee or needs to hide or is leaving quickly and going in and out of relationships, we need to understand there's probably abuse behind that," she told LEX News. "And it's probably way worse than anything we've ever imagined that they're truly experiencing."
Thomas said the community needs to pay attention and believe survivors.
"Survivors should not have to go through this kind of terror and fear, and I, probably like the rest of the community, I kind of go into the space of when is this going to stop?" Thomas said.
She also wants people experiencing domestic abuse to know confidential help is available 24/7.
"You don't have to give us your name," she said. "You can just make a phone call and just start talking about what your lived experience is, what your fears are, what your hopes are, and we'll help you navigate ways to get there as safely as possible."
According to FBI data, last year at least 25 Kentuckians were killed by an intimate partner. According to a report from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, nearly 40% of women and 22% of men in Kentucky experience violence in an intimate relationship.
If you or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, confidential help is available. Call the 24-hour crisis hotline at Greenhouse17: 800-544-2022.
