ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In the second of a two-part discussion with Nicole Brown Simpson's sister, Denise Brown says she understands firsthand the devastating effects of domestic violence.
She has spent three decades tirelessly fighting for domestic violence prevention.
Thirty years ago this week, Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman were savagely killed. The murders followed years of documented domestic violence and alleged abuse against Nicole by her ex-husband, O.J. Simpson.
It was Denise’s worst fear.
"She was the all-around beautiful woman who you could do anything with and you could take her anywhere," Denise said of Nicole.
Following the murders in the upscale Hollywood community, the investigation, the OJ Bronco chase and the nationally televised trial, police began receiving a flood of calls from victims of domestic violence.
Denise began speaking out against domestic violence, appearing at events and before Congress calling for change.
“The Violence Against Women Act was passed [and] the 24-hour National Domestic Violence Hotline was founded," said Denise, who wishes she had been educated about Domestic Violence three decades ago. “Don't ask the why questions. I asked them why questions. I said, 'Why are you with this guy? He's an [expletive]. Why are you? Why do you want to be with him? Why do you want to, you know, get out of here.' So I did all the wrong things. Because I was not educated.”
Experts agree.
Willow Domestic Violence Center in Rochester, New York, says that leaving an abuser is the most critical and most dangerous time. They suggest saying things that can offer choice and power to the person they are trying help, such as saying, 'We believe you. how can I help you, or what do you need?'
"I really want people to understand that education awareness is the key to actually sitting down and supporting a victim of domestic violence," said Denise.
Despite the efforts, domestic violence remains a major issue.
"And statistics today are not any better than 30 years ago, which is really disturbing for me," she said.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports answering 446,320 calls, chats and texts in 2022. It's a historic high for the organization and a nearly 10% increase, approximately 40,000 more calls than the year before.
“That’s really scary," Denise said. "That’s really sad. Domestic violence is something that we need to educate our young people that don't know about this case [and] who don't know about Nicole [or] don't know about the whole trial that went on. They don't know about domestic violence."
As devastating as losing Nicole has been, Denise reaches for the good that can come from it.
“Being able to look back and see all the good that her murder did for other victims of domestic violence warms my heart because at least I know she didn't die in vain," she said.
As Denise and her sisters promote their their just-released Lifetime documentary, “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson," Denise says the murder feels like it was just yesterday.
"The questions are always like, 'What do you want to say to her?' I just want to just want to have her back. That's what I want. I would really love to just have her back. And I wouldn't have to talk about domestic violence and none of this would even be happening in our lives. But I do know that it happens to many many people across our country and around the world. And so I just want to be able to educate and I want to be able to do something for families that are in the same situation that we were in or could possibly be in the same situation that we're in and just get educated and learn. And I just don't want another Nicole happening to a family who loves their daughter or their sister. I just don't want that to happen anybody else."
The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7/365. You can text START to 88788, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or chat online at TheHotline.org.
The organization is at its historic high contact volume with more than 2,000 incoming calls, chats and texts per day.