Helping Victims Find A Voice
By Juliet Lighter, founder, Women Speaking Out
At the age of 15, I became a victim of domestic violence. As years passed, I realized that domestic violence is an epidemic affecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background.
After winning the title of Miss Hawaii USA in 2001, I was instilled with a newfound surge of confidence. So in 2007, I founded Women Speaking Out (WSO) a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to the public education of domestic violence. Our mission is to educate young women between the ages of 15 and 25 about dating violence through an interactive curriculum focused on teaching intervention techniques and developing leadership skills. Unlike other organizations, WSO uses fashion, beauty, art and music as tools to empower, educate and influence young women to maintain an active voice in the community.
