VOICES Leadership Council
VOICES Leadership Council: Survivor Leadership & Advocacy in Virginia
The VOICES Leadership Council is a survivor‑centered leadership program established by the Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance. It honors the powerful role that survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence play in guiding systemic change, shaping statewide policy, and strengthening community responses to gender‑based violence.
What Is the VOICES Leadership Council?
Founded in 2021, the VOICES Leadership Council (Victim/Survivor Opportunities to Impact Change by Elevating our Stories) creates space for survivors to:
- Develop leadership skills grounded in lived experience
- Build advocacy and organizing abilities to influence public policy and community systems
- Inform and improve training programs for professionals in response and prevention
- Share and refine personal narratives to promote healing and collective understanding
Survivors bring their unique perspectives to help shape the work of the Action Alliance, ensuring that programs, policies, and statewide efforts reflect authentic survivor leadership.
Why Survivor Leadership Matters
Survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence are uniquely positioned to influence lasting change. VOICES reinforces that:
- Survivor voices are essential in ending gender‑based violence
- Leadership development supports healing and empowerment
- Inclusive advocacy strengthens community solutions
Council Membership
The VOICES Leadership Council includes 5–8 Virginia residents who:
- Do not currently work professionally in the domestic and sexual violence field
- Are 21 years or older and identify as survivors of sexual or intimate partner violence
- Are interested in deepening healing, building advocacy skills, and guiding statewide work
- May have experienced violence in Virginia or elsewhere, including as a witness or through loss of a loved one
Priority is given to survivors who are BIPOC, identify as a person with a disability, or are otherwise from marginalized communities.
Week of Radical Truth: DV Stories That Need to be Told
During Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2023, the Council’s members shared impactful stories that reflect resilience and transformation. These lived experiences illustrate the breadth of survivor leadership and the collective power of VOICES in elevating change across Virginia.
V is for Victim: Addison Phoenix
O is for Opportunity: Tammie Mobley
Ideas to Share? Questions to Ask? Stories to Tell? Email: voicesleadershipcouncil@gmail.com