Community Interest
A Letter from Sistercare
Leah Wicevic, Executive Director of Sistercare, fights to change the narrative around domestic violence.
Fig Columbia Readers,
At a recent Sistercare staff meeting, I placed two blank sheets of paper before each team member. On the first sheet, I asked everyone to write down WHAT they do at Sistercare. I watched as everyone diligently penned their various job responsibilities—managing the emergency shelter, providing clinical counseling, assisting with orders of protection, and more. The responses were straightforward and to the point.
Next, I asked them to toss everything they had just written—ball it up and toss it—and on the second sheet of paper, write down WHY they are with Sistercare. What is your WHY?
Their responses were incredible:
- I grew up seeing my mother abused and scared. I want to make a difference for her and for others who have experienced abuse.
- For the survivor who calls every year to thank me for saving her life, now 14 years ago. I want to help survivors not only survive but thrive.
- For Wynter Straw and Dominique Walker who were both recently killed by their abusers. I do this for them and other survivors who never had the chance to live free from fear.
- Because I want to end victim-blaming.
- For my daughter and other children who deserve a safe and loving home without domestic violence.
When you know your “why,” your “what” is that much more impactful because you’re embracing your purpose. There is no doubt that Sistercare team members know their “why.”
Your “why” might be your daughter who was a victim of dating violence in college and too scared to tell you, your best friend who found the strength to share that her husband abused her for years, or your coworker who often came to the office with unexplained bruises. Your “why” might even be your own experience with domestic violence.
I hope you will join Sistercare in shattering the silence and breaking the stigma associated with intimate partner violence. No one deserves to be abused, and it takes all of us embracing our “why” to change the narrative surrounding domestic violence.
Sincerely,
Leah Wicevic
Executive Director
Learn more about Sistercare here.
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