Tonya Lewis Lee

When I heard that statistic that almost half of all the women who are living with HIV have experienced some form of intimate partner violence, initially I guess I hadn’t really thought about it. But once I kind of had a more clear understanding of the journey that these women have been on in their lives, it just in a way makes so much sense.
We are all on a journey and we are all experiencing different things and working through them. Their journey took an unexpected and what at one time was a devastating turn, but they were able to really work through what they were going through and work through their experience, come out on the other side and really be able to make a difference not only in their own lives but in the lives of other women.
They’re strong, resilient, powerful and able to live a really purposeful, meaningful life.
And to me that is truly empowering.

Lawyer, producer and women’s health advocate Tonya Lewis Lee talks about the empowerment of women living with HIV who have experienced intimate partner violence.