by Beatriz F. Vieira
I am often asked how I came to work with victims of domestic violence. I grew up during the military dictatorship in Brazil, immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager and was raised by an abusive stepfather. While I arrived at my work through personal experience, it is through my professional experience that I have learned how bearing witness to injustice and abuse is critical to the process of transformation.
It is through this work that I have the privilege to share in the joy of many. For me, joy and hope live inside the courage it takes to change; be it at a personal and family level, or at a social and political level.
Every time I receive a letter or a visit from a domestic violence survivor telling of successes big and small, I know that we are making a contribution to the struggle for a world with peace, joy and justice — both inside and outside of the home.
Beatriz F. Vieira is Co-Chair of Lutheran Advocates for Safe Families (LASF), an outgrowth of the Foundation’s initiative addressing domestic violence and child abuse. LASF works as a network for Lutheran social service agencies throughout the U.S. Bia also serves as the Executive Director of Lutheran Settlement House in Philadelphia, which helps individuals, families and communities achieve self-sufficiency.
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