Domestic Violence Survivors Take Center Stage at Chicago Impact Dinner
A TIME Impact Dinner in Chicago brought together a photojournalist, an NFL executive and his wife, and actor Ashley Judd to discuss empowering survivors of domestic violence and breaking the silence around abuse.
Four advocates for survivors of domestic violence shared their personal experiences and called for an end to silence around abuse during a TIME Impact Dinner held in Chicago. The event, presented by The Allstate Foundation, featured photojournalist Donna Ferrato, author and speaker Tommi Vincent along with her husband Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, and actor and humanitarian Ashley Judd.
Ferrato, whose photographs of survivors helped raise national awareness of domestic violence, opened her remarks by honoring her mother, a survivor she described as the forever inspiration for her work. She pledged allegiance to survivors of domestic abuse and sex trafficking, saying survivors are the ones who lead this movement. Ferrato also shared the story of Elisabeth Lindberg, the woman behind one of her most well-known photographs, «Behind Closed Doors,» which documented an act of domestic violence. At the time, Lindberg was known by the pseudonym «Lisa.» Ferrato said Lindberg, who later shared her story in emotional interviews, gave up her privacy for the good of other women and now stands on top of the world. She called TIME the midwife that brought Lindberg's rebirth to light, adding that Lindberg represents courage and love and proves why women must believe in their own inner voice.
Reflecting on more than 40 years of photographing survivors, Ferrato noted that victim blaming was pervasive in society when she began her focus on the topic. She praised the women who entrusted her with their stories and emphasized that such courage is needed now as much as ever. «Let's break the silence,» she said. «Let's be outspoken. Praise these survivors.»
Tommi Vincent described herself as a thriving domestic violence survivor on a mission to normalize the conversation, not the behavior. She said she is compelled to use her voice, experience, resources, and relationships to be part of the solution for victims and survivors. Her husband Troy Vincent shared that he and his younger brother witnessed their mother being abused while growing up, and that the abuse sometimes left her unable to work for extended periods. He said the shame of abuse finally lost its battle to the threat of eviction, prompting his mother to seek help from family members, underlining the link between domestic violence and financial instability. That experience taught him that people closest to the problem are often the ones equipped to help find solutions.
The Vincents said they are working with organizations including the National Domestic Violence Hotline to build what Tommi Vincent called a new house for survivors. She described it as a house where survivors are centered, their voices are heard, and their experiences help shape solutions, and where a new definition of love is taught, one where love does not hurt intentionally.
Ashley Judd, a humanitarian and activist who was among the «Silence Breakers» recognized as TIME Person of the Year in 2017, said that while not all men are violent, many remain silent about the violence other men perpetrate. She spoke about her own experiences with sexual violence and abuse, as well as recent stories of abuse that have made national headlines, pointing to a common thread of entitlement to female bodies. Judd argued that those who foster that attitude, or who see abuse and remain silent, are all complicit. She described herself as resilient but asked why survivors have to be strong, and urged anyone who witnesses abuse to speak up. «There's no such thing as a non-complicit bystander because if you really want to support survivors, you become an upstander,» she said. «You heal the village, you heal yourself, and you hold men accountable.»
The dinner, titled TIME Impact Dinner: Empowering Survivors: Building Strong Futures Together, was presented by The Allstate Foundation. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 for those experiencing domestic violence. Call 1-800-799-SAFE or visit.
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