World-renowned entrepreneur and motivational speaker Alma. G Davis is the visionary behind the Alma G. Davis Foundation, which serves to provide year-round programming helping domestic violence survivors attain employment and work maturity skills, financial security, and gain the necessary resources to transition to lives of independence. During adolescence, Davis was a victim of abuse. She set out to turn her ongoing suffering into a positive movement by giving backing to those in need. Davis holds several events throughout the year including Dinner for Divas and the Walk in her Shoes 5K Run to celebrate, empower and educate survivors.
We spoke with Davis to discuss events happening during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October, what resources are available for victims and her advice for those still battling for freedom from an abusive relationship.
Why did you start your foundation?
I grew up in a household where I saw domestic violence everyday due to alcoholism. By the time I was 14 years old I received my first set of black eyes from a young boy who was around my age. The abuse was something that was frequently happening in his home, so that became his norm. We thought that was a normal part of relationships. It wasn’t until I was 23 years old and had my first daughter that I realized the abuse was not OK. It became a personal mission for me to figure how to pour back into people’s lives. I want people to know that regardless of where you have been or what you are going through you can make different choices. In 2005, I created my own foundation and started working from there.
Initially, when we started we were working with low income areas. We began with Ghana, Africa and continued traveling across the country looking at the different needs in the communities and created solutions for those issues. No matter where I went the common denominator was violence. This was so personal for me. It made me think about what someone could have said to change my situation of make me feel better about myself. These emotions lead me to start Dinner for Divas, which is where we celebrate 150 survivors a year.
What were some of the most disturbing statistics you found when researching domestic violence?
The statistics were astronomical. One out of four women and one out of seven men deal with domestic violence. What was even more mind boggling to me is that 95% of cases are never reported. Over 10 million children are abused and they come from households of domestic violence, so if you’re with a mate that could care less about you then he or she will certainly not care about the children. These are statistics that people need to start paying attention to and begin talking about. It is my goal to make this a national movement.
Why do you think the numbers are decreasing with domestic violence?
I think we are starting to see numbers decrease, because people are starting to talk about the problem a little more. The numbers have always been there; we just haven’t known about them. We have more and more publications and notable faces coming out and it really helps those suffering in silence. These people are realizing they are not alone and that it can happen to anyone. Again, we want to make this a topic of discussion and it starts at the dinner table.
What are some of your foundation’s success stories?
I was doing a national radio show a couple of months ago. When I got back to my office I had a voicemail message from a male that had been listening. His message stated that he was an abuser and he admitted to beating his wife. The things that I had said on the radio convicted him so much that he wanted help. We got him help to stop him from mistreating his wife. That was incredible for me to know that whatever I said made him want to change his wrongful behavior. A lot of abusers know they need help, but a lot of times they don’t know where to find it.
For people who are seeking help, how would they get in contact with your foundation?
They can call our office at 678-957-9464 or they can visit us on the website at www.almagdavisfoundation.org. We have a big walk-a-thon called Walk a Mile in Their Shoes. This will be the second time we are doing this in Atlanta. This is a way for survivors to come out and for the community to support the survivors. The premise is for us to make this an awareness issue. It’s a 5k run and three hour walk. We partner survivors together, so during their walk they can share their testimonies with each other.
What advice do you have for women suffering in abusive relationships?
I would tell them that they are not alone. There are resources to help get them out of their situation. I want them to know they are worth more than what is happening to them right now. Don’t just the think about yourself, but think about the safety of your children. If I got out you can do it too.
