In his presidential proclamation declaring October National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, President Obama noted that domestic violence homicides claim the lives of three women every day.
Statistics, no matter how startling, rarely elicit as strong or lasting an impact as a deeply personal story does. It may be unfortunate, but it is proven to be true when looking at how non-profit organizations looking to raise awareness or funds of their cause. Numbers are hard to connect with, but faces and personal histories are not.
Britton Loyden was only 23 years old when she lost her life as a victim of domestic violence. Her son, Madden, lost his mother before his second birthday. Jillian Loyden’s life changed forever in February 2012. It didn’t just change because of the heart wrenching death of her sister. It changed because Jill took what happened to her family and transformed it into what has become the Jillian Loyden Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness about domestic violence and creating and supporting programs that motivate young people by empowering them to feel confident about themselves.
Domestic violence is an issue that doesn’t garner much attention outside of acute tragedy. The reasons for the discussion not entering the mainstream are varied: some consider it a private matter not meant for open discussion and others feel uncomfortable discussing the topic, especially with people affected by domestic violence.
Loyden believes that telling her story about how domestic violence has impacted her life will help others. “Before my sister passed away I had no clue about the dangers and risks of domestic violence,” Loyden explained. “I thought it was this illusive problem that would never be relevant in my life. Until it was. It wasn’t until I read more about domestic violence that my eyes were opened to how often it actually does occur.” She concedes that reliving the story each time she tells it can be difficult and painful, but it is worth it if it can help make others aware of the impact of domestic violence on her family.
Domestic violence awareness advocates and many survivors across the country are working to bring education and discourse about domestic violence into the common consciousness of more people. Awareness and education can be the key to preventing or breaking the cycle of domestic violence and empowering victims, friends, and families.
To date, the foundation has been primarily focused on scholarship and domestic violence awareness. Bree McMahan was the first recipient of the Fearless Hero scholarship. McMahan was the victim of a freak accident at her soccer team’s car wash fundraiser, which ended in her leg being amputated just below hip. Last fall McMahan walked onto the field and competed in a Division II collegiate soccer game, a truly inspiring comeback that demonstrated her strength of character and determination.
Loyden recognizes that soccer has given her an enormous platform to influence young players and people across the country. With the help of the entire NWSL, the foundation launched the “Every Voice Counts Campaign.” Each player in the league was gifted a purple team shirt. Loyden explained “We wanted to remind all professional athletes that we have influence, we are leaders in our communities, we are role models to so many, and that we need to leverage that for the good!” Loyden has also been touring the mid-Atlantic since the end of the Sky Blue FC season, visiting local high schools and colleges sharing her story and message of empowerment. Hundreds of teams have taken the pledge and, subsequently, learned important information about domestic violence.
In the immediate future, Loyden says the foundation will continue to visit middle schools, high schools, and colleges about domestic violence. “We want to not only educate youth on the dangers of domestic violence, but also empower them to know how important, loved, and valued they are and that they never have to settle for a relationship that is less than they deserve. We want our youth to know that their voice is important and they can use it to help save lives”
The foundation is expanding their efforts in the long term to add a middle school after-school education program. The 8-12 week course will provide both role models and lessons in leadership for students in communities where these type of opportunities are extremely limited. “We believe that if we can get into those age groups and teach them how to treat each other, provide them with leadership skills to solve conflict, and give them mentors that will care about each individual then we can create a change in social behavior. Since domestic violence is a learned behavior we believe with education and affection we can reverse this act.”
The foundation is hosting their second annual “Break the Silence” Gala on November 15, 2014. The event is an opportunity for participants to help “Break the Silence” and empower people to help victims of domestic violence.
Loyden may have retired from league and international soccer earlier this year, but it looks like she won’t be slowing down one bit as she continues to work tirelessly for her foundation.