A poignant purple ribbon memorial in Hexham honors victims of domestic abuse, including 15-year-old Holly Newton, sparking vital conversations.
Hexham: A new memorial has been set up in Hexham to remember those lost to domestic abuse. It’s a sea of purple ribbons, each one representing a life taken in just one year.
Among them is a single white ribbon for Holly Newton, a 15-year-old from Haltwhistle, who tragically lost her life to domestic violence in 2023.
Her mom, Micala Trussler, teamed up with Hits Radio North East to create this powerful display. They want to shine a light on how serious domestic abuse is in the UK.
Micala is determined to make sure Holly’s death is recognized properly. Right now, the law only acknowledges victims over 16, but she believes that needs to change.
“Holly’s case shows it can happen to anyone, even kids,” she said. “We need to protect young people better.”
Today marks two years since Holly was killed, and since then, Micala has been pushing for a change in the law to lower the age for domestic abuse recognition.
She’s also advocating for schools to teach kids about domestic abuse, so they can spot the signs early. “Young people just don’t know what to look for,” she explained.
Currently, Holly’s case is categorized under knife crime, but Micala wants it recognized as domestic abuse to help others learn from this tragedy.
Support for her campaign has come from local MP Joe Morris, who has raised the issue in Parliament, urging the government to take a closer look at domestic abuse laws.
The family is set to meet with MP Jess Philips, the Minister for Safeguarding, to discuss their concerns further.
In April 2024, they launched Holly’s Hope, a charity aimed at educating young people about the warning signs in relationships. For more details, check out their website.
