Rally in Georgetown calls for end to domestic violence, more equity in Family Court

GEORGETOWN, Del. – Last week, 47 ABC WMDT brought you the story of Patty Rickman. She’s a local mom, business owner, and survivor of LGBTQ+ violence turned advocate.

Continuing the Call

Friday, Rickman rallied with others who have had similar experiences. The goal: to demonstrate that victims shouldn’t be voiceless, and to call for more equitable court experiences for victims.

“I’ve had a lot of survivors step forward and reach out to me, asking for advice, and for help on what they could do, to number one get safe, and what they could do to advocate for themselves,” said Rickman on Friday. “I want to continue to get the message out. I want to advocate for victims.”

The message being sent from the Georgetown Circle echoes that of its sentiment; the peaceful protestors chanted, “No more fear!”

“I didn’t report it for the longest time, because I didn’t think anyone would believe me. You will be believed, and you will get help,” said Krista Henshaw, a survivor of heterosexual domestic violence.

Henshaw is a nurse practitioner. She says her own experiences have been mirrored by her patients’.

“So many women have been victims of domestic violence, myself included, and I think that we all need to stand up and band together to put a stop to domestic violence,” said Henshaw. “If you have been a victim, please know that you’re not alone. There’s a ton of people who have been victims, and there’s a lot of help out there.”

Equity in Court

Another rallying cry, calling for a domestic violence task force in Sussex County Family Court. It’s a team that substantiates evidence in requests for protection from abuse orders (PFAs). They’re found in New Castle and Kent Counties, but not Sussex County.

What Is Your Voice, an organization that advocates for and protects domestic violence victims, says PFAs can be “weaponized” between abusers and victims; leaving court costs to pile up, and cases to drag.

“If we had a domestic violence task force, an employee here, that all would stop. It would be more conductive on both ends, and I’m about balance, and justice for all,” said Founder and President of What Is Your Voice, Jacqueline Sterbach.

Rickman says she has experienced this herself.

“My offender filed a retaliatory protective order against me, and after the Family Court had all the evidence to support, along with the Department of Justice, along with the Delaware State Police, and along with the Department of Corrections, they still granted my offender a protective order,” said Rickman.

Moving Forward

Survivors say they also want to end the perpetuation of domestic violence by making it known that experiences don’t characterize the whole person.

“The violence that a lot of us have endured, does not define the women that we are today,” said What Is Your Voice spokesperson Jacqueline Valentine. “We are strong women, we have a purpose, and we turn our pain into purpose. That’s what we’re doing right now.”

Rickman says Friday’s rally was not the finish line. She plans to continue advocating for survivors and victims.

What Is Your Voice

Meanwhile, What Is Your Voice is just one of the resources that they can turn to. The organization provides transitional safe houses, food, clothing, and other pieces essential to the long-term journey of coming out of trauma. You can reach What Is Your Voice at 302-467-3310.

Sterbach says last year, the organization fielded 18,000 help inquiries, and has helped over 450 families navigate domestic violence cases in court. She hopes to push that number down, and prevent the perpetration of domestic violence.

“We have to break the cycle for the next generation, or else it will continue,” said Sterbach. “[Children who see domestic violence] learn that it’s the ‘normal.’ That’s what we’re breaking.”