Community gathers in Lisbon to ‘Take Back the Night,’ raise awareness about domestic violence

LISBON, Ohio - Survivors, advocates and community leaders filled East Washington Street for the annual Take Back the Night Walk Thursday evening, bringing attention to Domestic Violence Awareness Month and a record rise in deadly domestic-violence cases across Ohio.

The event was hosted by the Christina Center, part of Catholic Charities Regional Agency, which provides shelter, legal advocacy and crisis support for victims in Columbiana County.

According to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, 157 people were killed in domestic-violence incidents between 2024 and 2025 — a 37% increase from the year before. Guns were used in 84% of those deaths, and more than one-third were murder-suicides.

State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, R-New Waterford, called the numbers “terrifying and unfortunate,”