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Domestic Violence cases drop in Fayetteville, data shows; focus on victims might be why

Friday, May 29, 2026 9:17PM

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Earlier this week, Fayetteville Police Chief Roberto Bryan Jr. released the first-quarter report for the city of Fayetteville. The report showed a mixed trend, with overall crime having increased, but domestic violence cases have dropped.

Domestic violence crimes in Fayetteville have dropped by 21% compared to this time last year, according to new data released by local authorities. Officials and survivors say that expanded resources and support are making a tangible difference in the fight against abuse.

At this time last year, Fayetteville police had investigated 47 domestic violence cases. That number has now dropped to 37, a decline officials attribute to targeted efforts to help survivors escape dangerous situations.

Angel Kirkman-Young, a domestic violence survivor, said she endured nine years of abuse from her spouse, which escalated when the couple worked together at their Fayetteville restaurant. "I'm glad to have survived what I went through with him," Kirkman-Young said. "I came inside, and he pulled me into the bathroom. He got a knife from out of the kitchen, and he put the knife to my head. My phone was taken numerous amount of times. My phone, my keys, and my purse."

Leaving an abusive relationship isn't always easy, and local police say that proactive outreach is essential.

In 2024, the Fayetteville Police Department received an OVW (Office on Violence Against Women) grant, which has allowed them to better support survivors. "We've used some of that money to buy phones for victims, especially when theirs are broken during an incident. We also help with safe housing during a crisis," said Detective Phillip Wongshing of the department's Domestic Violence Unit.

Survivors emphasize that abuse can take many forms. Kimberly Carver, founder of the Purple Trail Foundation and a survivor herself, described the mental toll of her experience. "It went from verbal to mental to where he broke my confidence down. He had me questioning everything about me, what I knew right from wrong, my worth, my value," Carver said.

Carver witnessed violence from a young age; she was just five years old when she saw her mother kill her father, and by 17, she entered her own abusive relationship. Now, she works to help others through her foundation. "I give resources on where they can go back to school to get their high school diploma. It's building to become independent again outside of your abuser," Carver said.

Both Carver and Kirkman-Young urge survivors to remember they are not alone. "You matter, you're valuable, you're worthy, you're important," Carver said. "A lot of people didn't understand if I would open up to them, they would say, You're crazy for staying in that. You're crazy for going through that."

Detective Wongshing stressed that the community should focus on solutions, not blame. "It's easy to sit back and look at a survivor of domestic violence and say, well, why isn't this person leaving and why do they continue to be with this person? But the questions that we really need to be asking is how can we help?"

Officials say ongoing partnerships with community agencies like the Phoneix Center and continued funding are critical to reducing repeat offenses and supporting survivors on their journey to independence.

Carver continues her advocacy through the Purple Trail Foundation. "I show how to do resumes from scratch no matter where you left off in school or if you haven't. It's building to become independent again outside of your abuser," she said.

These domestic violence resources are available year-round: