Viral video shows domestic violence victim escape abuser by slipping note to cashier
With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, there is a lot of attention on domestic violence and victims. Adding to that attention is now viral footage from a security camera at a Food Lion supermarket in Clover, South Carolina. The footage shows a woman leaving a note with the cashier, before departing with a man. It turns out, she was a victim of domestic violence and the note was a plea for help.
Violence isn't just plaguing regular people, but also celebrities. A large number of them have been arrested over the years on domestic violence charges including 'Clueless' star Stacey Dash in March 2020 and Washington Nationals star Starlin Castro in July 2021. Experts also believe Gabby Petito may have been a victim of domestic violence, a claim made after analyzing footage from the Moab City Police Department.
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While domestic violence isn't gender-specific, more women face violence as compared to men. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence notes that one in four women and one in nine men experience severe intimate physical violence at the hands of their partners. On average, 10 million people a year face domestic violence, with few getting the help they need. Luckily, the woman in Clover did. The story has a happy ending, according to the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Woman passes note in viral video
On October 14, the unidentified woman walked into the Food Lion supermarket and "appeared to be in distress". She quickly handed a note to a cashier before exiting and leaving with a man in a black pickup truck. It's unclear what exactly the note said, but the Sheriff's Office did say she "stated the male she was with was going to hurt her." The supermarket management quickly called the cops, and the Sheriff's Office put out an alert for the vehicle along with a notice on Facebook and Twitter.
"She left with a Hispanic male, who was wearing a black shirt driving the pictured black GMC truck, and headed toward Rock Hill on Highway 274," the police said and asked for help identifying the duo. Eventually, there were able to locate her. The police issued a brief update, saying, "This person has been located and is safe." They did not confirm whether the man was arrested or if the woman needed hospitalization.
Beyond the Sheriff's Office's post, there is little information about the case, so we cannot confirm any additional details. The footage itself was removed once the woman was rescued, all we have are two screenshots shared by the York County Sheriff's Office via Twitter.
'You just put her at higher risk'
But while the story does end well for the woman, the Sheriff's Office faced massive backlash for their handling of the situation. "Now he knows she reached out for help, you just put her at higher risk," one person commented on their Facebook post. Another said, "This is one of the reasons why so many women are too afraid to seek help. God help her if he sees this!" Another user said, "Oh my goodness please be discreet about this it should not be posted in this manner in my opinion."
"Why in the hell are you posting it where he could see this?!?! As a former victim of domestic violence, I can promise you that this post is dangerous for her!!" one user slammed. Another responded, "This is not ok. You should know better York County Sheriff's Office to not post her pictures and info in social media. You put her life in danger." A handful of others did praise the police for their swift action, but most people seem concerned with the way the police used social media.
We will let you know when we have more information about the man, and the charges he faces once the police make it public.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please do call the national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE. It is highly recommended you get help if you are in an abusive relationship, no matter how trivial the abuse may seem. For more information on domestic violence do visit The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline website.