'We all need a voice:' Domestic violence advocates, survivors march in downtown Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Domestic violence advocates and survivors gathered in downtown Raleigh before taking part in a silent march along Fayetteville Street.

The North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports there have been 47 domestic-violence related homicides statewide through late September.

"What I think is missing is the general population hears about someone in danger - their friend, their family member - but they don't really know what to do. So how can we change that across the masses," said Barry Bryant, the Chair of the Wake County Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team. Wake County is one of a handful of counties in the state with this review team.

LaTonya Allen, a domestic violence survivor, shared why it was important for her to speak out.

"We all need a voice to this. And I stand here, I refuse to be sad or broken. And I just want to stand for the ones that are going through this and have lost family members through domestic violence, and I just want to be that voice and bring awareness to this issue," said Allen.

On April 9, 2014, Allen's estranged husband Nathan Holden shot and killed both her parents, before he shot and beat her with their children in the house.

"(There are) so many (people) out there living in silence," said Allen.

Wednesday afternoon, Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker and other employees dropped off donations at the InterAct office in Raleigh. InterAct provides emergency resources and shelter to domestic violence and sexual abuse victims.

"We added some more officers to (investigate domestic violence cases). We also brought the victim's services side of things that had kind of faded off," said Baker, who committed to providing help after the initial incident.

The issue of domestic violence continues to get attention after two women were murdered in the Triangle in the last month; the most recent case of domestic violence being a woman injured at a Cary hotel.

To learn how you can help a loved one in an abusive relationship, click here.