Oct. 27—A crowd gathered in front of the Hunt County Courthouse on Wednesday morning to hear some sobering facts about the extent of domestic violence both locally and across Texas.
Emblematic of that message, a trial was underway inside the courthouse for a man accused of a fatal domestic violence incident in Hunt County one year ago.
Representatives of Women In Need, WIN, which operates a domestic violence shelter for Rockwall and Hunt counties, presented a vigil in recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and in support of those who have experienced the specter of violence.
Jillann Gamble, director of advancement for Women In Need, read from the official proclamation issued by the City of Greenville and the Hunt County Commissioners Court, which noted that every 60 seconds, approximately 20 people are impacted by some form of domestic violence. In Hunt County alone, almost 500 incidents of domestic violence were reported during 2021. Statewide, 200 people lost their lives to abuse last year.
WIN Executive Director Jody Wright thanked all those who attended the vigil, as well as the members of law enforcement, prosecutors and first responders who deal with the issue on a daily basis. Wright said the support is invaluable.
“It makes a world of difference to them,” Wright said of domestic violence victims.
Wednesday’s event also featured comments from Jimmy Vaughn, pastor of Authentic Life Fellowship Church in Greenville, who noted that as a child he was a victim of domestic violence; Heather Adams, a victim’s advocate for WIN in Rockwall; Ann Taylor, an assistant Hunt County attorney; and Mary Ford, WIN’s education specialist.
During the vigil, a trial was underway in 354th District Court for Nicklas Allen Gagliardi. He stands accused of one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault/family violence. Gagliardi, 38, of Point was arrested following a collision along Interstate 30 in September 2021. Police allege that he deliberately caused the collision. A woman who had been his domestic partner was in the car at the time of the collision, according to authorities. He has pleaded not guilty.
Gamble asked those in attendance to continue discussing the issue of domestic violence amongst themselves, their friends and family members in order to eliminate the stigma of being a victim and encourage more people to come forward and tell their stories.
“Let’s talk about it and talk about it some more,” she said.
For more information about WIN, contact the Rockwall office at 972-772-3000 or the Greenville office at 903-455-4512.