We Need Your Voice: A Note from Executive Director Sara B. Tennen

It has been a heavy and clarifying few weeks.

We have been mourning Dr. Cerina Wanzer Fairfax, dentist, mother, small business owner, and community member in Fairfax County, VA, who was murdered in her home by the husband she was in the process of divorcing. Much of the news coverage focused on Dr. Fairfax’s spouse, his career, and his legacy. But the press attention obscured what we know to be true.

• 75% of domestic violence homicides occur after separation.
• The risk of violence increases by 75% for at least two years once a survivor attempts to leave.
• A gun in the home raises the risk of homicide for women by 500%.
• More than 40% of Black women have experienced domestic violence.
• Over 50% of Black female homicide victims are killed by intimate partners.

Dr. Cerina Fairfax was not a statistic. Neither were Barbara Deer, Pastor Tammy McCollum, and Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen, all Black women murdered in recent weeks. But the pattern that ended their lives is one we know and must name loudly and clearly, because it continues every day.

According to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, while homicides in DC have decreased overall, the share attributed to domestic violence is the highest it’s been in 12 years.

These statistics underscore how essential our work is for survivors of domestic violence, which is why we are closely watching the DC FY27 budget process. Mayor Bowser’s proposed budget would devastate core components of the public safety infrastructure that DC relies on to respond to violence and maintain stability. The projected cuts would also decimate all three of our program areas, impacting thousands of survivors and vulnerable children.

I hope you’ll join us in taking action at this pivotal moment. If you live or work in DC, please contact your councilmember. Our toolkit has ready-to-send emails, social posts, and graphics. Together, we can urge our leaders to restore this essential funding and keep our community safe. Get the toolkit here.

I look forward to seeing many of you this Thursday night as we gather for our 2026 Annual Benefit. Clearly, our work is more important than ever for the survivors and children we serve. I am deeply grateful to all of you for making it a priority and for showing up with your time, talent, and resources to care for our community.