NCAVP mourns the death of Carzella Little, who was fatally shot by her girlfriend, Datondra Mitchell, on August 26, according to media reports. Little, who was 20 years old, was shot by 25-year-old Mitchell after an argument. Mitchell, who has been previously charged with domestic violence, was charged with Carzella’s murder and is being held in custody.
We mourn the loss of Carzella Little, who is the 12th LGTBQ victim of fatal intimate partner violence NCAVP has counted this year, and send love and care to her friends and loved ones. Though not often talked about, intimate partner violence (IPV) affects lesbian, bisexual, and gay people at the same or higher rates than non-LGB people. And yet, LGBTQ people continue to experience discrimination and violence when accessing care and support around relationship violence.
Working together to support each other as a community, and helping support those who might be in abusive relationships, is crucial to helping prevent intimate partner violence before it escalates. In doing so, we must also work to enrich our narratives and models of what healthy, loving LGBTQ relationships look like, and support each other in understanding and learning that we are all deserving of love, as a community and as individuals.
In memory of Carzella Little.