Silent Witness Exhibit
To help honor West Virginians murdered by acts of domestic violence, the WV Silent Witness Exhibit is unveiled annually during October’s National Domestic Violence Month. The exhibit displays a collection of life-sized silhouettes that represent West Virginians who can no longer speak for themselves.
2025 EXHIBITION OPEN
Monday, October 13, at 12:00 p.m. – Friday, October 17, at 12:00 p.m. In the Vandalia Lounge at the MountainlairThe WRC also lends the exhibit to groups to display at their events throughout the academic year. Please contact wrc@mail.wvu.edu to borrow the exhibit for your event. We will provide a press kit.
Originally displayed at WVU in 2006, the WRC updated and reintroduced the WV Silent Witness Exhibit in October 2021 thanks to support from the Big XII Violence and Discrimination Awareness and Prevention Fund.
What is Silent Witness?
Silent Witness International is the leading voice honoring the lives of domestic violence homicide victims through family support, community connections, and advocacy for change.
The WV Silent Witness Exhibit is a collection of life-sized silhouettes of victims murdered by an act of domestic violence. Each of the 19 shadows represents a West Virginian murdered by domestic violence between 2019-2020. Notably, most female victims were murdered by a current or former intimate partner, while most male victims were murdered by other various family members.
REMEMBER to honor those who were murdered in acts of domestic violence.
RAISE AWARENESS in our communities.
CONNECT people with local resources.
ADVOCATE to end violence.
LEGISLATE to hold abusers accountable.
Domestic Violence Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence, support is available. You are not alone.
24/7 Hotlines
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233) or Text “BEGIN” to 88788
Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center (RDVIC): 304-292-5100
West Virginia Domestic Violence and Abuse Hotline- 1-800-352-6513
Legal and Advocacy Services
Legal Aid of West Virginia
Free or low-cost legal support for protective orders, custody, and family law.
legalaidwv.org
West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WVCADV)
Statewide network offering education, prevention resources, and a directory of local programs.
wvcadv.org
Campus Resources
WVU Title IX Office
Support for reporting, accommodations, and survivor advocacy. WVU Title IX
WVU Carruth Center for Counseling and Psychological Services
Individual counseling, crisis intervention, and group therapy for WVU students. Carruth Center- Urgent Crisis
Safety Planning
If you are preparing to leave a domestic violence situation or seeking safety, consider:
Keeping copies of important documents and IDs in a secure place.
Establishing a code word with friends or family.
Saving emergency contact numbers under a different name.
Connecting with an advocate for a personalized safety plan.
You can find free safety planning tools at Plan for safety