Domestic and sexual violence is more widespread than most might think, but unfortunately, survivors aren’t always believed.

“Survivorship is messy — it’s ugly. It isn’t pretty, but unfortunately, we create a hierarchy where the survivorship looks pretty. Those are the individuals we believe,” said Teresa Stafford-White, CEO of Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center in Akron.

The YWCA of Northwest Ohio’s Woman to Woman luncheon brought together survivors, advocates, and community members Tuesday at the Inverness Country Club to address the harsh realities of domestic violence and sexual assault while also calling for systemic change through disruption and advocacy.

As a survivor of incest, rape, teen dating violence, and systemic trauma, Mrs. White delivered a powerful keynote on her

See Full Page