Twenty-one years after Tiffany Smith was brutally murdered by her own husband at the age of 30, her sister Shavonne Munnings is transforming decades of personal grief into a life-changing mission: building a dedicated safe refuge for battered women and children escaping abusive households. Now, the long-time community advocate is renewing her urgent call for public and private support to turn this vision — named Tiffany’s Haven, in honor of her late sibling — into a reality.
Smith’s life ended violently on May 24, 2005, when she was stabbed 26 times, leaving behind four young children. For more than 20 years, Munnings has refused to let her sister’s death fade into silence. Instead of withdrawing into grief, she has marked the anniversary of Smith’s killing every year with candlelight vigils, public educational conferences, and community outreach initiatives designed to shine a spotlight on the pervasive threat of domestic violence across The Bahamas.
This year’s 21st anniversary gathering was hosted at the First Holiness Church of God, bringing together domestic violence survivors, fellow advocates, religious leaders, and local community members for an evening centered on remembrance, awareness, and mutual encouragement. After the formal program, attendees shared hot meals and refreshments, while children in attendance enjoyed activities on a bouncing castle, creating a moment of joy amid a somber occasion.
Munnings, who has personally survived domestic abuse, explained that Tiffany’s Haven is envisioned as more than just a temporary emergency shelter — it will function as a holistic restoration center where women and their children can heal after experiencing violence. “Many women manage to leave abusive relationships, but they have nowhere safe to turn,” she noted. “That gap is why this project is so critical. It will be a space where women can bring their children, find safety, and begin the work of healing and rebuilding their lives.”
Already, Munnings has a detailed plan for the facility’s design and operations, but she requires broad community and donor support to move the project forward. “I’m praying that God brings what I call destiny helpers — people who share this vision of making a tangible difference in the lives of survivors,” she said. “Working together, we can help restore safety and hope to women and children who have lost everything to abuse.”
Recalling the day of her sister’s murder, Munnings shared the heartbreaking details of that afternoon. She received a message shortly before 3 p.m. directing her to go to the local hospital. “I had no idea what had happened when I got the message,” she said. “I heard the ambulance siren first, and I told myself they don’t use sirens for people who are already gone — I held out hope. But when I arrived, everything was silent. That’s when I learned it was my sister, and she was already gone.”
For Munnings, the annual gathering is far more than a memorial: it is a critical warning to women across the country that relationship abuse can turn fatal. “Twenty-one years ago, I lost my sister to domestic violence,” she said. “Instead of letting that tragedy make me bitter, I chose to let it make me more focused on action. I want to enlighten and encourage other women to face the truth: domestic violence is not a private problem, it is a deadly crisis that can claim your life.”
Munnings’ advocacy comes as domestic violence remains one of the most pressing unaddressed social issues in The Bahamas. Recent police statistics show a reported 29 percent drop in documented domestic violence cases, falling from 2,630 incidents in 2024 to 1,859 in 2025. But advocates across the country warn the decline is likely misleading, as the vast majority of abuse incidents are never reported, with many victims trapped in silence out of fear or lack of access to support. That underreporting means the true scale of the crisis remains far larger than official numbers reflect.
For Munnings, supporting children who witness domestic violence is a core part of the mission of Tiffany’s Haven. “When children grow up around violence, it shapes their whole lives,” she explained. “If we can help them heal while their minds are still growing and able to transform, we can break the cycle of violence. Better children grow up to be better adults. That means fewer people trapped in cycles of harm, fewer lives lost, and a stronger future for all our families.”
Fellow domestic violence advocate Hilvana Cash has praised Munnings’ unwavering commitment to keeping the crisis at the forefront of public conversation. “For years, she has been consistent, showing up every single year to push for awareness and change,” Cash said. “Domestic violence does not only harm the person being abused. It ripples out to hurt children, extended families, coworkers, and entire communities. That’s why work like Shavonne’s is so vital.”
Reverend Janet Gray of the First Holiness Church of God also offered her full backing for Munnings’ work and the Tiffany’s Haven project. “Every year she comes here to organize this gathering, she has my complete support,” Gray said. “Domestic violence is an evil thing, and far too many women are forced to suffer in silence. They need to know they can come forward, and they can get the help they need to escape.”
For Munnings, her sister’s memory continues to be the driving force behind every step of her advocacy. “If I can save just one woman, one year at a time, then Tiffany’s death was not for nothing,” she said.
