Hope and healing event brings together victims of domestic, sexual abuse

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Through acts like sharing personal poetry or singing Grateful Dead songs on acoustic guitar, the women who gathered Thursday evening at the LookOut! Gallery in Snyder-Phillips Hall were there to heal together.

Words of Hope and Healing is an event created to raise money and give survivors of domestic and sexual abuse a place to share feelings of pain, strength and inspiration.

Domestic abuse survivors Maria Casinelli, of Lansing, and Nancy Allen, of Haslett, coordinated Words of Hope and Healing for the second straight year after witnessing transformations in some of last year’s participants.

Proceeds from the event were donated to the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing, 1710 E. Michigan Ave., in Lansing. Last year, hundreds of dollars were raised, and this year is expected to raise similar funds, Casinelli said.

Women of all ages participated or watched, along with a few members from Angel House, an emergency shelter and children’s center in Mason, Mich.

“I feel strongly that performance is a means of healing, and that’s why I do this show,” Casinelli said. “They write and perform their own work to people and I have always seen an enormous transformation and growth. I wouldn’t do it otherwise.”

Some of the stories were emotionally difficult to listen to and even more difficult to tell. But the 10 women who spoke about their pasts and hopeful futures said verbally expressing their hurtful experiences helped them and empowered other victims.

“For me, it’s time to stop being silent,” said speaker Michelle Canfield, of Webberville, Mich. “I think it perpetuates the abuse happening in the first place. As a survivor, I know that repetitive behavior happens, but with help you can not be the monster who hurt you. It helps not to let it fester.”

Casinelli and Allen said it is important for victims to focus on hope rather than pain and not to feel alone. “I’m humbled because we are all heros, we have all worked through incredible darkness,” Allen said.

The event continued Friday evening at the Creole Gallery, 1218 Turner St., in Lansing’s Old Town.

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