Domestic violence survivor turned attorney to help DV victims

In this episode Kiran Chawla sits down with Deon Sumer Guidry for an episode centered around Domestic Violence Awareness Month which started October 1st. Deon opens up about her experience leaving an abusive relationship, describing how the abuse escalated gradually, the difficulty of recognizing it while she was inside it, the repeated attempts, protective orders, custody issues, and support from others that helped her leave. Guidry also discusses how her experience led her to law school and her current work in family law and domestic violence law as a lawyer. She explains her advocacy work, Louisiana domestic violence laws and resources, and closes with advice to survivors and those around them to use available support and hotlines.

IRIS Domestic Violence Center

Local Hotline: (225) 389-3001

National Hotline: (800) 541-9706

Timestamps

02:57 Abuse's Slow Build

07:34 The Cycle of Control

13:56 Breaking the Pattern

18:25 Final Wake-Up Call

25:17 Surviving the Crisis

30:19 Graduation and Renewal

36:35 Louisiana's Domestic Violence Laws