Women In Need will hold a courthouse vigil in Rockwall on Friday, Oct. 16, calling on residents to stand with survivors during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The vigil begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Rockwall County Courthouse and is expected to last less than 30 minutes, according to the Herald-Banner.
Attendees are encouraged to wear purple.
WIN, a domestic violence resource center serving Hunt, Rockwall and Rains counties, is also holding a second vigil at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, at the Hunt County Courthouse.
The Rockwall vigil follows the Rockwall County Commissioners Court's proclamation declaring October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The proclamation recognized that domestic violence affects people across all backgrounds and can include physical, emotional, sexual, psychological and economic abuse, as well as stalking and coercive control.
Rockwall County Judge Frank New toured WIN's domestic abuse shelter the week of Sept. 21. "Domestic violence is something we have to force ourselves to acknowledge," New wrote on X on Sept. 24. "It affects all socioeconomic demographics."
During its most recent fiscal year, WIN served 821 clients, provided 14,185 individual services, assisted 148 people through residential shelter and responded to 906 incidents of domestic violence, according to the county proclamation. WIN executive director Kristen Ostertag and Rockwall Police Department domestic violence Det. Laurie Burks have worked together for years on community education and survivor assistance, the Herald-Banner reported.
The county proclamation noted that 161 Texans were killed by intimate partners in 2024, while 104 children lost at least one parent to intimate partner homicide.
Residents who need help can reach WIN's 24-hour crisis hotline by calling 903-454-4357 or texting 972-591-7233. The Rockwall office number is 972-772-3000.
Coming up
- Friday, Oct. 16: Women In Need vigil, 8:30 a.m., Rockwall County Courthouse. Wear purple.
- Friday, Oct. 23: Women In Need vigil, 8:30 a.m., Hunt County Courthouse.
