It Takes A Woman to Empower Women

In this episode, Christina Sommers sits down with Johanna Crawford, a powerful voice in the domestic violence advocacy space. Johanna shares her late discovery of her life’s work, starting at age 57, and her experiences working with survivors of domestic violence.

1. The Term "Intimate Terrorism":
   • Johanna discusses her preference for the term "intimate terrorism" over domestic violence, emphasizing the terror victims experience at the hands of those closest to them.
2. Volunteering at a Domestic Violence Shelter:
   • Johanna shares her two years of volunteering at a crisis shelter, where she encountered survivors seeking immediate refuge.
3. Systemic Barriers:
   • The challenges survivors face in proving their identity and securing essential documents, highlighting the obstacles created by bureaucracy and lack of support.

Closing Thoughts: Johanna’s story sheds light on the realities of intimate terrorism and the urgent need for better systems to support survivors of abuse. Her dedication to this cause serves as an inspiration to all who seek to make a difference in their communities.

Meet Johanna Crawford, author of It Takes A Woman:
For the past fifty years, author Johanna Crawford has dedicated herself to community service in a wide variety of areas and organizations, such as the Boston Science Museum, Glover Hospital, Babson College Foreign Students Committee and Transition House, amongst others.

In 2004, harnessing her vast experience, Ms. Crawford founded Web of Benefit, Inc. at age 58. There, she personally worked with over 2,200 survivors of domestic violence in Boston and Chicago plus 26 states, helping them define and realize their goals and dreams. Johanna Crawford has been a guest speaker at Babson College, Simmons College, Harvard University, and University of Massachusetts. At The Japanese Women’s Leadership Initiative in Tokyo, Ms. Crawford taught Japanese women about grass roots social entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and creating a nonprofit organization.

In December 2010 Ms. Crawford was awarded the Be the Change Award by the Massachusetts Conference for Women. In June 2011, she and Web of Benefit won the Award for Excellence in Collaboration given by the statewide Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. She is an AARP Purpose Prize Fellow. In July 2012 she was honored as CNN Hero.

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