Executive Director’s Message

Where The Journey Began

By: Dr. Oliver J. Williams,
Executive Director

The compelling story behind the convening of A Journey to Healing: Finding the Path began more than 25 years ago when I was a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh. I was working as the founder of a batterer intervention program in Beaver County, Penn., and I was a volunteer with the local battered women’s program, where I met an exceptional domestic violence advocate and shelter director named Shirl Q. Regan.

We had regular discussions about the needs of battered women and the women’s desire to move beyond the physical and emotional pain they experienced. From those discussions, we recognized the need to confront the issue of healing for survivors of domestic violence, and we convened a recovery group for survivors in Beaver County.

The topic of healing really deals with the issue of how victims of domestic violence yearn for moving past the experience of victimization and survivorship. They’ll always be deeply affected by the violence, but they don’t want it to consume their lives. They also want to figure out a way to move past the experience, move past the trauma.

IDVAAC’s 2009 National Conference, A Journey to Healing brought the issue of healing for survivors of domestic violence and adults who have witnessed domestic violence as children to the national forefront. This effort was inspired by many of my heroes and sheroes over the last 25 years.

In the current issue

This edition of our newsletter also features a profile of new IDVAAC sterring committee member Johnny Rice, II, a peek at last years A Journey to Healing Conference, and an overview of the Getting Out, Coming Home project developed by IDVAAC.

Please join us as we continue our quest to heal victims of domestic violence in the African American community. Like my relatively minor wrestling wounds, we can learn to move forward in a healthy manner and not be overwhelmed by domestic violence for the rest of our lives.