Familicide is a rare but troubling event that can be difficult to recount, especially for residents of the community were it occurred. The author of this piece combines her academic and practitioner knowledge of family violence with her personal experience, recalling the events leading up to the murder of a classmate nearly 20 years ago. The author reframes these memories through her current knowledge of risk assessment for domestic lethality as well as the safety behaviors women typically employ to protect themselves and their children. Further emphasis is placed on the need for children and young people to be involved in coordinated community efforts to detect and disclose incidents of family violence. Public education on this topic, for both adults and young people, can be useful in reducing stigma and coordinating efforts for intervention.
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