- I'm a volunteer at the Domestic Violence Child Advocacy Center of Greater Cleveland. I'm a community activist, and a domestic violence advocate and a survivor of domestic violence. I was nominated and won for my community work in domestic violence from the American Red Cross Hero's award.
I survived one of the most notorious domestic violence abuse cases in recent California history. My encounter with the twisted logic of abuse began in 1995 outside a motel room in Riverside. That’s when a spate of bad luck led me into a bizarre, four-year odyssey of polygamy, torture and psychological trauma.
The case, involving 19 victims, made national headlines, even CNN, earning the abuser seven life terms in prison. As outrageous as it was, my story fits a typical pattern.
It’s a story of fear so intense it strips victims of everything but the will to survive. Now a speaker, counselor and forceful advocate for abused women I would like to bring awareness to Domestic Violence.
The LA Times did a multimedia piece on my story. please click on the links below to view it.
The video, multi-media piece and story that the LA Times did on me and my family, are all the links below (there are 3 parts):
http://framework.latimes.com/2011/11/10/laura-cowan/
And here is the short version the LA Times did on my son:
http://framework.latimes.com/2011/11/09/ahmed-shabazz/
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-laura-cowan-20111109,0,4263212.story
Breaking the cycle of abuse from LA Times on Vimeo.
I did survive life in one of the most notoriously abusive households in recent California history. Now a speaker, counselor and forceful advocate for abused women, I've come a long way since my abuser was sentenced to seven life terms in prison. I'M FREE!
ReplyDeleteTo others still out there, "YOUR NOT ALONE"
http://vimeo.com/34923151