By Dawn Scotland
The Truth Reporter
The YWCA of Northwest Ohio hosted Woman to Woman, a breakfast fundraiser, at Inverness Club Tuesday morning December 10. The impactful event featured Janine Latus, author, survivor and speaker, who shared her heart-wrenching personal journey through domestic violence and survival.
Woman to Woman fosters meaningful conversation around the truths and barriers faced in domestic abuse. The event highlights the importance of individual and collective action to discover how to be more vigilant and supportive to victims of abuse.
Lisa McDuffie, president and CEO of YWCA of Northwest Ohio, shared statistics in her remarks “on average, according to the CDC 24 people every minute becomes a victim of rape, physical violence and stalking by an intimate partner. That’s more than 2 million people in one year,” she stated.
“The CDC also stays nearly one in three college women report that they have been in an abusive dating relationship. These numbers point to the acceptance and normalcy of abusive behavior,” she continued.
The YWCA of Northwest Ohio aims to fight for progress in the community by offering the opportunity to help ensure that women in the community are not alone in their journey; and that every individual and family, desperately struggling to survive abuse, can access their shelter and services to find a safe haven and a fresh start.
Latus, The New York Times Bestselling author of If I am Missing or Dead: A Sister’s Story of Love, Murder and Liberation served as the featured speaker for the event and shared her personal account of domestic violence. She revealed her story of abuse and shared with those in attendance how to recognize signs of abuse, how to intervene, ask for help, and begin anew to build a life free from fear. To learn more about her book visit Amazon.com or JanineLatus.com.
For over 150 years, YWCA of Northwest Ohio has been working at the intersections of violence against women, homelessness, healthcare, racial equity, and education. We help women, men, children, and families overcome socio-economic barriers to promote living and thriving while seeking equality, justice, and dignity.
The YWCA of Northwest Ohio, working to meet the diverse needs of women and the elimination of racism, serves more than 15,000 individuals each year through various programs. The programs include: Domestic Violence Shelter, Rape Crisis Center, Child Care Resource and Referral, Youth Development, Long Term Housing, Racial Justice, and Healthy Connections.
The YWCA provides educational programming, community outreach, direct support, referrals to community resources, and advocacy supporting marginalized individuals and families. The programs create powerful impacts in our communities as we work to challenge structural barriers to equity.
YWCA of Northwest Ohio is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
(Source: www.ywcanwo.org/)
