Nessel says Michigan remains committed to supporting sexual violence survivors

During a roundtable discussion with domestic violence survivors and advocacy organizations, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Saturday affirmed her continued effort to support initiatives to combat domestic and sexual violence.  

“In Michigan, we support and uplift the survivors fighting against sexual violence in communities across our state,” Nessel said during the Saturday event that attracted about 50 people and was held at the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department Learning Resource Center in Ann Arbor. 

The effort was designed to address how stakeholders can coordinate and mobilize a community response to increasing concerns centered on sexual assault.

Nicole Beverly, a domestic violence survivor, also attended and helped to plan the roundtable discussion. So did Tanesha Ash-Shakoor, founder and CEO of Voice of Color, a domestic violence nonprofit organization. Ash-Shakoor is also a domestic violence survivor. They discussed issues centering on housing for domestic violence survivors, as well as policy centering on restraining orders and more. 

“Although we have a lot of work to do … change can never be created if we don’t come together and talk openly and honestly about the issues we are facing,” Beverly said. 

Beverly thanked Nessel for attending, saying that she “was there to listen and then problem-solve.”  

The Ypsilanti Township resident is an author, clinical school social worker and founder and president of The ENOUGH Initiative Domestic Violence Prevention Organization focusing on teen dating violence prevention.

In September, Nessel joined supporters at the state Capitol to remember those who have died at the hands of domestic abuse. She also launched the Address Confidentiality Program to keep survivors’ addresses private in state records.

In 2022, the latest statistics available, the Michigan State Police’s Incident Crime Report indicated that there were 64,545 domestic violence offenses committed by current or former intimate partners reported to Michigan law enforcement during the year.

What’s more, members of the LGBTQ+ community have reported levels of intimate partner violence equal to or higher than those who identify as heterosexual. In addition, the African-American community in Michigan experiences domestic violence at disproportionately higher rates, with 45.1% of Black women and 40.1% of Black men experiencing intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence and/or stalking in their lifetimes. 

“Domestic violence victims are most at risk when they are attempting to leave,” said Nessel at the time. 

“Common sense solutions like this will help reduce the scourge of gun-related deaths caused by intimate partners,” Nessel added. 

Later in the day, Nessel delivered the keynote address at the annual gala for the Stand Tough Against Rape Society, host of Take Back The Night Ann Arbor.