JEKYLL ISLAND -  The Georgia Commission on Family Violence (GCFV) recognizes leaders in social justice who work for the betterment of women in Georgia through The Gender Justice Award.

This year’s recipient is DeAnna Swope. Recipients of this award are chosen based on their history of increasing safety for victims and survivors of domestic violence, enhancing accountability of batterers, and making systemic changes to laws in Georgia – all to eliminate gender inequality.

“The Commission is excited to recognize DeAnna Swope as the 2018 Gender Justice Award recipient. Ms. Swope is a fierce advocate for all victims of domestic violence, and has made tremendous advancements in removing barriers for victims of domestic violence who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. We commend the work she has done in the state to keep victims of domestic violence safer by strengthening the tools available to communities to best serve victims from this community,” said Jennifer Thomas, Executive Director of The Georgia Commission on Family Violence.

Deanna Swope is an activity coordinator, domestic violence outreach specialist/advocate, and mental health case manager. She is a Board Member and Conference Chair for the Deaf Anti-Violence Coalition (DAVC), a member of Metro Atlanta Reentry Task Force, a member of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Subcommittee on Underserved Communities, and a member of the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence Disabilities Task Force.

The Commission’s twenty-fourth annual family violence conference was held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on September 9-12, 2017. The theme of this year’s conference was Beyond the Bruising: Unraveling the Complexities of Domestic Violence. Over 650 local and national community stakeholders attended, including judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, advocates, survivors, faith leaders, counselors and community members.

About GCFV: The Georgia Commission on Family Violence, created by The Georgia General Assembly in 1992, is charged with developing a comprehensive state plan for ending family violence in Georgia. If you or someone that you know is being impacted by domestic violence, call 1-800-334-2836 to speak with a domestic violence advocate.

Contact Information:

Jennifer Thomas, [email protected]