Photo by Derek Redd Domestic violence survivor Emalee Fields tells her story to those in attendance at the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The theme for this year’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month is “Domestic Violence Is Everyone’s Business,” a call for communities to refrain from keeping domestic violence incidents hidden in the dark.

Dozens of people marched the streets of St. Clairsville on Wednesday evening on behalf of the Tri County Help Center to bring those issues into the light.

The TCHC hosted its 28th annual Domestic Violence Awareness March, which journeyed from the Center’s headquarters to the Belmont County Courthouse, with those marching holding aloft banners and signs showing their support for domestic violence victims.

Being public about that support is important, said TCHC Executive Director Chelsea Scott.

“A lot of survivors don’t have that support,” she said. “So many survivors of domestic violence are silenced and we’re here to amplify their voices.

“The different outreach efforts that we do are with survivor input,” she continued. “So some of the signs that you see are signs that survivors recommended.”

Among the phrases on the signs Wednesday were “Speak Up,” “You Can Take Back Your Power,” and “You Are Not Alone.” When the group reached the courthouse, they were greeted with music from Sarah Mahan-Hays and Mike Schumacher. The event concluded with “Remember My Name,” honoring those who have lost their lives to domestic violence in Belmont, Monroe and Harrison counties.

In between, the group heard the testimony of domestic violence survivor Emalee Fields. Fields told the group that bringing the issue of domestic violence to light can help those unable to use their own voices to advocate for themselves. Victims don’t always have that ability, she said, dealing with their pain in silence.

“So many find it impossible to reach out for help, even in a room full of family and friends,” Fields said. “I’ve stood in those very moments. To say it felt like drowning doesn’t even scratch the surface.

“Having a good support system can make all the difference in battling the raging seas of these after effects,” she continued.

The words of survivors like Fields carry major weight, said Megan Talkington, TCHC education coordinator.

“Having a survivor herself speak about their story and how they overcame domestic violence and how they reached out for help is super impactful for survivors in the community,” she said, “not only that, but the people that work in social service centers, neighbors and community members in general to help spread that information.”