Remembrance and calls for change brought many domestic violence survivors to the North Carolina State Capitol on Sunday.
“Every year’s tough, but I make it through it,” said Christy Melvin.
For her, the memory of her three-year-old son Jesse is always present.
“November 5th, he would’ve been 17,” she said.
Melvin told WRAL News it has been more than 13 years since her estranged husband shot and killed Jesse, then turned the gun on himself, all while on the phone with her.
She said it followed an abusive relationship with her husband, who was awarded joint custody of the three-year-old.
Melvin was among the domestic violence survivors who spoke at the State Capitol, demanding stronger protections in the family court system.
“We demand a system that protects children, believes survivors, and ends the cycle of coercive control,” said child advocate Veronica Hatton.
This year’s gathering came with a call to action for state lawmakers to pass House Bill 896, or Jesse’s Law, which would create a committee tasked with bolstering abuse training for court judges and personnel.
The law passed the North Carolina House in May with bipartisan support. Advocates are now calling on state senators to follow suit.
“If you’re not properly trained, how can you make a proper decision that’s the right decision to protect the people you’re making the decision for,” Melvin said.
The Leadership Council estimates 58,000 children nationwide are placed in the sole or unsupervised custody of an abusive parent each year.
“To protect every child, every family that is going through these situations. I don’t want to continue to hear about children being murdered because they are being given to their abuser,” said Melvin.
If Jesse’s Law is passed, advocates hope the legislation will spur future laws implementing the committee’s recommended training guideline.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). For county-by-county help, the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence has a list of resources at nccadv.org.