The Invisible Victims of Gender Based Violence | Misty Biddick | TEDxHarkerHeights

Summary

In this TEDx talk, Misty Biddick shares her journey from the military to becoming a domestic violence advocate. Through her experiences, she highlights the challenges faced by survivors of domestic violence, particularly in rural Texas, where resources are limited and violence is often underreported. Biddick stresses the importance of advocacy, awareness, and collaboration in supporting these invisible victims and calls on everyone to use their voice to make a difference and help end the cycle of violence.

Highlights

• Awareness is a gateway to change, as highlighted by a poem Misty carries, reminding her of the importance of her advocacy work. 📜
• Misty's transition from the military to a domestic violence advocate was inspired by encountering a passionate advocate in California. 🇺🇸
• The Institute of Community Coordinated Response (ICCR) is instrumental in addressing domestic violence in rural Texas. 🏢
• Rural victims often suffer in silence due to lack of resources and fear of compromised confidentiality. 🤐
• Collaboration and open conversations about tough topics are essential to ending violence and saving lives. 💬

Key Takeaways

• Awareness is crucial in driving change and supporting victims of gender-based violence. 🌟
• Rural areas face unique challenges in addressing domestic violence due to limited resources and social stigma. 🚜
• Advocacy and collaboration among individuals and communities can significantly impact and save lives. 🤝

Overview

Misty Biddick's powerful TEDx talk sheds light on the often-overlooked victims of gender-based violence in rural areas. She shares her personal journey from a military career to becoming a passionate advocate for these invisible victims, driven by a chance encounter with a domestic violence advocate in California.

Misty highlights the systemic challenges faced by survivors in rural Texas, where resources are scarce, and violence is vastly underreported. She speaks of the high cost of seeking help, both financially and emotionally, and the social stigmas that keep victims silent and afraid of losing their privacy.

Through her work with organizations like the Institute of Community Coordinated Response, Misty emphasizes the critical role of advocacy, awareness, and collaboration in addressing these issues. She calls on everyone to find their voice and join the movement for change, encouraging open conversations to dismantle the stigma surrounding domestic violence.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Personal Motivation The chapter titled 'Introduction and Personal Motivation' begins with a reference to a poem by John Mark Green, which emphasizes the role of awareness in facilitating change. The author mentions carrying this piece of poetry as a daily reminder of their advocacy work, setting the stage for discussing their personal motivations and the importance of mindfulness in their endeavors.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Career Transition and Advocacy Inspiration The chapter "Career Transition and Advocacy Inspiration" describes a transformative moment in the author's life during their career change from the United States military to advocacy work. Initially, the author intended to pursue a career in Corrections after leaving the Army. However, a pivotal encounter with a domestic violence advocate in Barstow, California, led to a significant shift in their career path. The author reflects on their personal familiarity with domestic violence and hints at how this experience influenced their decision to enter advocacy work.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Professional Work in Domestic Violence In the chapter titled 'Professional Work in Domestic Violence,' the narrator shares their journey into the field of domestic violence advocacy. Inspired by an advocate's passionate speech on awareness and support efforts for women facing violence, the narrator found their calling in this career. Over a decade, they have engaged deeply in the sector, working directly with both perpetrators and survivors. Their contributions include providing direct services, creating programs, and helping to formulate policies aimed at addressing the issue comprehensively.
• 02:00 - 03:00: Role and Experience with ICCR The chapter discusses the role and experience of the speaker with the Institute of Community Coordinated Response (ICCR). The speaker shares their privilege of working with fierce advocates and amazing organizations dedicated to supporting survivors. ICCR is highlighted as one remarkable organization within the movement focused on providing wonderful services to survivors. It operates as a program at the conference on, implying its active involvement in collaborative efforts to address the needs of survivors.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Challenges of Rural Domestic Violence Chapter Title: Challenges of Rural Domestic Violence This chapter discusses the epidemic of domestic violence in rural Texas, highlighting the invisible victims of violence, particularly in rural areas. The introduction of a program in 2018 aimed at addressing crimes against women is mentioned. This program is notable for its efforts in assisting survivors and shedding light on the unique challenges faced by rural survivors. In Texas, 77 out of 254 counties are classified as rural, which emphasizes the significance of the program's outreach in these regions.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Impact on Survivors and Closing Message This chapter discusses the underreporting of violence against women, particularly physical and psychological violence, in certain areas. It highlights the lack of resources and advocacy services available to support these survivors. Often, if advocacy services do exist, they are minimal, possibly consisting of a single program or an advocate who travels from neighboring areas. The chapter seeks to underscore the need for increased resources and support for survivors.

The Invisible Victims of Gender Based Violence | Misty Biddick | TEDxHarkerHeights Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 foreign [Music] [Applause] awareness is the door through which change enters this poem by John Mark green is written on a piece of paper that I carry with me daily as a reminder of why I advocate
• 00:30 - 01:00 I've often said that this work of advocacy as a way of finding you I began my permit professional career in the United States military my intent after leaving the Army was to go into Corrections however that changed one day in Barstow California when I met a domestic violence advocate I'm going to tell you I was no stranger to domestic violence I'm going to tell you as I sat and
• 01:00 - 01:30 listened to this Advocate speak passionately about awareness about support efforts and about the power of a collective voice when addressing violence against women that's when the work found me fast forward to the present and I've spent over a decade working with perpetrators and survivors of domestic violence I've helped provide Direct Services I've created programming and have helped establish policy to address a wide
• 01:30 - 02:00 ranging issues experienced by survivors I'm going to tell you in this time I've had the privilege of working with some Fierce advocates in this field some amazing organizations that do wonderful things for survivors in this movement one of those organizations is the Institute of community coordinated response or iccr CCR is a program at the conference on
• 02:00 - 02:30 crimes against women and was established in 2018 to address the epidemic of domestic violence in rural Texas it is my experiences this program and the survivors I've worked with that bring me Heritage to talk to you about the invisible victims of violence those rule survivors 77 out of 254 counties in the state of Texas are designated as rule
• 02:30 - 03:00 and I'm going to tell you that violence in these areas is vastly underreported women who experience physical and psychological violence not only do so and carry that trauma with them but do so with a lack of resources to assist them advocacy services in these areas is almost non-existent and if they do exist they usually consist of one single program or Advocates traveling from neighboring
• 03:00 - 03:30 communities to help provide services it's been my experience that these survivors are often very very weary of receiving Services locally for fear that their confidentiality will be compromised they understand that anonymity rarely exists in an area where the program staff or your neighbors basic health care and mental health services are so difficult to obtain oftentimes survivors would travel up to
• 03:30 - 04:00 an hour or more to seek Services causing additional Financial burdens on their families specifically lost wages and travel expenses women in these areas who experience violence carry with them not only the psychological emotional trauma but they do so with very very little help
• 04:00 - 04:30 it's been my experience that oftentimes that they stay in these escalating violent relationships not only feeling shame but internalizing all the blame feeling hopeless helpless and becoming increasingly more invisible advocacy awareness and collaboration save lives it takes individuals willing to sit
• 04:30 - 05:00 together allies in this movement to have open conversations about some very hard topics in the words of the poet Jasmine core scream so then a hundred years from now another sister does not sit drying her tears wondering where in history she lost her voice balance thrives in silence each and every one of you is an advocate
• 05:00 - 05:30 with the power to spread awareness about domestic violence and I tell you now is the time to screen thank you very much