Texas Council on Family Violence Honors Victims, Calls for Action

In recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) released its annual Honoring Texas Victims Report on Thursday, October 9, 2025, revealing that 161 Texans lost their lives to domestic violence in 2024.

The event, held in Austin, featured actor Jesse Eisenberg, celebrity chef and domestic violence survivor Tommi Vincent, Texas Tribune CEO Sonal Shah, state representatives Lacey Hull and Rhetta Bowers, and youth advocate Teagan House. Together, they joined TCFV in calling for greater prevention, awareness, and accountability in addressing relationship violence.

“The Honoring Texas Victims Report is a vital tool for Texas,” said Gloria Aguilera Terry, CEO of TCFV. “It reminds us that domestic violence homicides are preventable. We use this data to inform lawmakers, law enforcement, and communities about what must change — and to honor the memories of victims whose stories deserved better endings.”

The report includes several sobering statistics:

137 female and 24 male victims were murdered by a partner, ex-partner, or stalker.
Harris County led the state with 47 deaths, followed by Bexar (17), Dallas (16), and Tarrant (12) counties.
Firearms were used in 114 murders, a continuing trend that increases the risk of death for victims by 500%.
Victims ranged in age from 17 to 70 years old.
84% of offenders had prior criminal justice involvement.
75% of victims had sought help from family, friends, advocates, or police before they were killed.
69% of victims were killed in their own homes.

Tabetha Harrison, TCFV’s coordinated response and safety strategies manager, said the findings highlight a systemic failure in firearm enforcement. “We continue to see cases where abusers were legally prohibited from possessing firearms, yet local districts failed to enforce those protocols. Those oversights cost lives,” Harrison said.

The report also shares personal narratives of victims, including Suzanne Simpson and Kenya Joy Bland of Bexar County and Teresa Houston of Harris County, among others.

During the event, TCFV also announced the statewide expansion of its “I’m Ok. Are You Ok?” awareness campaign, created with Clear Channel Outdoor, the Houston Apartment Association, and Houston City Council Member Twila Carter. The campaign will feature billboards and stickers across Texas directing people to domestic violence resources.

The full Honoring Texas Victims Report and all 161 victim stories are available at www.tcfv.org/publications.