Turn your tragedy into triumph

Violence against women gets a helping hand

The goal of the Kering Foundation is to eradicate the abuse that affects 1 in 3 women around the world. The organization has been fighting violence against women since 2008. Kiesha Preston is in the green dress in the above photo and was asked to speak recently for a Kering Fundraiser on how she has turned a painful situation into a path for other women not to endure the same.

Preston, an activist and domestic abuse survivor from Virginia found herself in a situation where she was almost homeless and without the money or credit to care for her children. This is not a unique situation as too many women have finances cut off by abusive spouses or partners and find themselves in serious situations where it seems there is no way out.

She was recently the keynote speaker for the Kering Foundation Caring for Women dinner fundraiser that raised more than one million dollars. One hundred percent of the money will go to the various partner organizations that Kering supports that are working to end domestic violence. Kiesha hared her story of how The National Network to End Domestic Violence was beneficial to her. NNEDV is one of the Kering Foundation’s partner organizations.

Turning pain into empowerment

Kiesha later wrote the Virginia Domestic Violence Victims Protection Act bill which protects domestic abuse survivors from being denied housing due to a poor credit score as a result of financial abuse. When spousal support or child support is cut off or a stay-at-home mom is no longer given the money she previously had access to this causes problems. When the rent, mortgage, utility or cell phone bills that were previously paid by the spouse or partner are no longer taken care of this can leave a mother and her children out in the street.

The bill written by Preston benefits women whose spouses or significant others leave them without any resources to care for themselves or their children. A low credit score and lack of income sends these families into poverty, shelters or sleeping in their vehicles. They find very few or no options in finding suitable housing. Kieshaalso spoke during a Congressional briefing on violence against women where she said the following.

“It was the free counseling services and support I received…that helped me re-discover [my] power and confidence.” Preston added “I feel like, for such a long time, domestic violence wasn’t something that we even talked about,” Preston says. “being in this room where people are putting their money where their mouth is, feels like real change.”

“Six years ago I never could have imagined I’d be standing in this room, wearing this fancy dress, and speaking to all of you, because I was in a relationship that broke my spirit, and left me feeling incredibly small.” “Ninety-nine percent of domestic violence victims experience some form of financial abuse. I felt a responsibility to make sure that what happened to me didn’t happen to anyone else.”

The Kerning also works closely with partners in China, France, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who commit to a minimum of at least three years.

According to the NADV (National Coilliiiton Against Domestic Violence), Domestic violence is defined as"The willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and economic, and emotional/psychological abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence vary dramatically."

If you are being abused and not sure where to turn please call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.