On February 16th I attended Capitol Day in Austin with over a hundred advocates across the state of Texas. This is probably my 7th Capitol Day and yet it was like the first time, because this year I got to see it through the eyes of the women who have survived and are now thriving in the aftermath of domestic violence. The Voices of Freedom, the Ambassador group of the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, traveled to Austin to share their stories and provide education to our Representatives on the importance of funding and policy that will enhance the safety for all Texas survivors of domestic violence. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be sharing our Ambassadors’ experience in their own words.
Here is Lereca’s experience…
See, a few minutes earlier the collective group gathered down the street for a legislative briefing to prepare us for the conversation we’d be having with the legislators and yes, I felt prepared.
I felt prepared and powered to talk about the Texas Stalking Statues. As a survivor of stalking, I felt compelled to share how I felt unprotected by the current statutes as is and how I believe my life was in danger- and it was because my stalker eventually strangled me. I will never forget when one of the legislators connected my story with their story. In the moment of sharing, this person could empathize with how it feels to be stalked. The stalking experience is terrifying. As a survivor, you often wonder if the stalker will ever be stopped. Well here’s what I know, I left the legislator’s office that day knowing that they’d feel equipped with an understanding of why the State of Texas should strengthen its stalking laws.
My experience at the capitol underscores how the value and impact of sharing my survival story coupled with data are necessary to inspire and invoke change in the domestic violence space. Thank you HCDVC for creating this moment and opportunity!
