Thank you to every one who tuned in for this special event for #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth - Critical Conversations: Healthy Relationships 101!
About the panelists:
Angela Lee (she/they) is the love is respect Director for The National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline), where she leads the strategy, implementation, and operations of love is respect to ensure that love is respect is the national resource to disrupt and prevent unhealthy relationships and intimate partner abuse by empowering young people through inclusive and equitable education, support, and resources. Angela has been employed with The Hotline for close to 13 years and served on the front lines as a Phone Service advocate and a Program Service Manager before serving as Director of love is respect. Before social justice work, Angela worked for 12 years in restaurant management, where they felt they never quite fit in. Angela wanted to address and contribute to social change, leading to a significant decision in their career choices. Angela has abundant experience working in the social justice field (20+ years), including substance abuse, behavioral health, sexual assault, and at-risk youth. Angela, a survivor herself, identifies as a lesbian and knows first-hand the barriers and challenges the LGBTQ+ community faces. Angela feels youth, regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, or identity, experiences severe life stressors, including unhealthy relationships, which makes her job purpose-driven. Her great passion is empowering young people to find healthy perceptions of themselves as complete, safe, healthy individuals.
Allison Barbee (she/her) is a Lead Sexual Assault Case Manager at InterAct of Wake County. Allison's career has gone back and forth between education and social work for the last 20 years. She served as a Middle School Coordinator at a local Montessori charter school and then spent several years as the Transition Coordinator at Healing Transitions before finding her way to InterAct in 2020. Allison feels like she's found her niche in sexual assault services and serving victims of IPV.
Shahon Marshall (she/her) is the founder of Beautiful Broken Vessels, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to educate and transform the lifestyle of adolescents and young women as they learn to love self and curate healthy relationships. Shahon is an MSW graduate from New York University. She began volunteering with the domestic violence population in 2015 which catapulted her into a career of Social Work. Shahon’s heart is to work with adolescents and young adults towards preventing and bringing awareness of intimate partner violence. Shahon’s goals include: creating a platform for survivors to speak freely, bringing more awareness to the devastating effects of intimate partner violence and initiating change that would result in increased support for victims and survivors alike. Shahon will also continue working towards creating a safe space for survivors to freely report incidents of victimization while simultaneously decreasing the stigma around reporting abuse.
Samia Noor (she/her) is a previous WomenNC Scholar and is currently a Government Consultant, focused on working with state, local, and federal agencies on projects to develop equitable resources, accessibility and infrastructure for the public. She has a demonstrated history of working with government agencies and offices, ranging from working with officials on the local level (such as her hometown Mayor's office) to the federal level. She graduated with a degree in Public Policy and Documentary Studies from Duke University, where she specialized in researching intimate partner gun violence in North Carolina through her work as a WomenNC Scholar (2019-2020). Samia is dedicated to using her background as a documentarian and policy expert to advocate for the eliminating violence against women through education, legislation, and media platforms. Samia conducted her WNC research on "How to Reduce Violence Against Women Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence in Durham, North Carolina"
Shreya Kancharla (she/her) is a previous WomenNC Scholar and is currently a senior student at North Carolina State University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences where she is pursuing a degree in Political Science (BA) and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. In her studies, Shreya is focusing on law and justice while also furthering her knowledge on political thought and research. Her interest in women’s and gender studies stems from her long-term interest in feminism and advocating for women and gender non-conforming people of all backgrounds. Shreya is involved in the student organization the Feminist Collective at NCSU where she connects with like-minded individuals who are passionate about feminist principals as well. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, she intends to apply to law school to study to become a lawyer and legal advocate for underrepresented communities. Shreya conducted her WNC research on "How Can Services for South Asian Women in Wake County Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Be Improved?"
Call to Action from Panelists:
- Understand why an intersectional framework is necessary when discussing the issue of intimate partner violence.
- Become aware of any resources available to victims or survivors of domestic violence to be an active bystander. It is important to learn how potential bystanders can in safe and positive ways work to prevent or intervene when there is a risk for physical violence or harassment.
- Become more aware of the impact of IPSV and the trauma inflicted on those who experience it.
- (love is respect) No matter where you are in your relationship—even if it hasn’t begun yet—there are some fundamentals to know about dating that’ll help ensure you and your partner(s) build a healthy relationship. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to dating, and you know your situation best: all our resources are here to empower you to make your own best decision.
- Advocates are available 24/7 by text, phone, and live chat to discuss your situation. Relationship abuse can happen to anyone but no one deserve it!
- Advocate for a cultural change in your community by educating yourself on resources around you. Every community we live in has different resources and it’s essential to learn what’s available around you, so if you or a loved one needs assistance you can be prepared.
Links to Resources from Panelists:
Love is Respect: Dating Basics for Healthy Relationships
Love is Respect: What is Sexual Coercion?
Love is Respect: Should We Breakup?
National Domestic Violence Hotline