Beverly Gooden

Why I Stayed: The Complexity of Domestic Violence

"Why I Stayed" is a revolutionary speech by Beverly Gooden, renown social activist and creator of the #WhyIStayed hashtag and global movement. In this radical talk, Gooden challenges the question “Why did he/she stay?” and reveals how the current way we interact with survivors is a house of cards. From faulty blame attribution, to designating only men as abusers, it’s easy to overlook the sheer volume of domestic violence when the issue has historically been framed as “them” and not “us”. That’s why, as Beverly argues, domestic violence is a community issue. Victims of violence can be women and men, LGBTQ and heterosexual, or even children. Victims of violence may have fought back, or remained silent. There is no perfect victim and no specific type of abuser. Beverly discusses her personal domestic violence story, reveals the most important questions to ask victims, and outlines how we all can help.

The Age of Empowerment for Women

Beverly discusses how the current women's movement presents opportunities to speak out, but also to reflect on the past and examples of women who have led in previous generations/movements. The women who came before us created a framework for how we can move forward, together, today. Today the possibilities for women seem endless, from investigative journalism to political office, to women demanding that their abusers/harassers face consequences, to the women who work in the service industry organizing for better pay and fair treatment. The #MeToo movement has evolved into a larger women's empowerment movement based on our shared experiences and Bev will share why she believes this is just the beginning.

The Power of Storytelling

In this interactive speech, Beverly Gooden presents storytelling as a transformative art form. From Aesop's Fables to the emotive descriptions of Japanese internment camps, the retelling of a sequence of events has been an important part of history. Gooden walks through the history, purpose, and various forms of storytelling, and shares a spontaneous story from her life. Audience members will also have the opportunity to share their favorite story in 60 seconds or less.

Race and Domestic Violence: A Closer Look

The #1 killer of black women ages 15-34 is homicide at the hands of a current or former partner. Young black women - whom statistics say are disproportionately murdered by the men they date, marry and with whom they share children - are often hesitant to call for help. Why? In this talk, Beverly delves into intimate partner violence using an intersectional lens. She describes how racism and sexism are the biggest obstacles for black women, how the American history of brutal violence towards black people contributes to non-reporting, and how the silence regarding intimate partner violence in the black community sends a negative message to black women – that their lives do not matter.

Beverly was incredibly generous with her time, took photos with new “fans” afterwards, and provided much needed information to our audience on this difficult and painful subject. She was an absolute delight. Such a warm and friendly person that I enjoyed having at our conference.

- | Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana