In a move to directly address the distressing surge in domestic violence cases, the City of Atlanta has launched the "Do One Thing, ATL" campaign, a public awareness effort involving both local celebrities and community engagement. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, alongside Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, emphasized the troubling rise in domestic-related homicides at recent press conferences, revealing an increase from two last year to 12 this year. "We've seen a sharp increase in the number of homicides related to domestic violence," Schierbaum stated, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
Atlanta's strategy, dubbed "ATL Says No More," aims to actively engage various sectors of the city, including media, places of worship, and the wider community, in an effort to comprehensively tackle the rise in domestic violence. The initiative asks individuals and institutions to consciously take steps such as checking in on friends and organizing meetings centered around domestic violence education. According to a report by FOX 5 Atlanta, Mayor Dickens said, "It’s going to include things that everybody can do from the media to celebrities to churches to every institution, things that you can do to help bring about change in this rise in domestic violence."
This year, the Atlanta Police Department has reported a disturbing increase of 76 cases of domestic violence, including 12 homicides – a stark contrast to the previous year. The Mayor’s Office of Violence Reduction, a body established in 2021 as a liaison between the administration and Atlanta's neighborhoods, offers training and intervention programs to the community. Marcus Walker, the Director of the office, emphasized the collective effort necessary to challenge the complex issues at hand. "Let’s stand in unison and say, ‘No More,’” he urged according to Rough Draft Atlanta.
Despite the decline in other violent crimes, officials are troubled by the prevalence of domestic disputes, which are not often visible to the public eye. "This is where we need (community) help because we cannot be in living rooms and homes to be able to keep the peace," Schierbaum expressed, highlighting the hidden nature of many domestic altercations, as noted by Rough Draft Atlanta. As part of the awareness campaign, Atlanta icons such as Dallas Austin and Rasheeda have been enlisted to help call attention to this critical issue and to spur conversations within the community.
Reverend Darryl Winston of Greater Works Ministries, who has witnessed the impact of violence among his own congregation, throws his support behind the campaign. "I laud the mayor's leadership on that particular issue because, in many instances, culturally, it has been dismissed. It’s not taken seriously," Winston told FOX 5 Atlanta. In line with the new campaign, Winston advocates for year-round dialogue and action, not just during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. Whether the campaign will receive increased funding, however, is not yet determined, as FOX 5's request for a comment from the mayor's office was unanswered.
