Navigating Uncharted Waters was 5 years old on V-Day!

Five years ago on V-Day, 2009, I launched Navigating Uncharted Waters to inspire change.  I hoped to inspire abuse survivors to break down the walls of silence and to shift the shame and blame to the perpetrators where it belongs.  I hoped to create a network of survivors who would lend their professional expertise to remedy the myriad of dysfunctions within a system that is often more abusive than what survivors have experienced behind closed doors.  And, I wanted to share the best practices of survivors who have thrived and gone on to find joy and career success.

One Billion Rising, 2013 in Seattle

I never dreamed that on V-Day, 2014 that One Billion Rising would inspire one billion people from every country in the world to rise, strike, and dance in a call to end violence against women.  I never dreamed that this year’s theme would be a Rise for JUSTICE.

I never dreamed that Private Violence, a documentary about domestic violence, would win a Sundance award and premier at the Sundance festival or that Vernetta Cockerham’s story would be told in Oprah’s magazine and on Stalked:  Someone’s Watching (“He Liked Seeing the Fear”).  I never dreamed that we’d all join forces and become friends via the Internet.

I never dreamed that No More would be launched by survivors.

And, I never dreamed that the inspired change called for on International Women’s Day, 2014 would be an end to violence against women.

Wow!

My humble little site which I started with just $15, a dream, and a whole lot of determination has been visited by almost a half million people from every country in the world.  Wow!  Wow!  Wow!

International Women’s Day in Manila, 2014

As we celebrate International Women’s Day today, I want to thank all my subscribers for your support and loyalty.  Bless you all.

Thank you, Kit Gruelle

As y’all know, my health hasn’t been great.  I’m late with my 5th anniversary celebration.  The photo at the top of this post was inspired by one of my favorite celebratory e-cards.  I decided to re-create it on V-Day for my annual V-Day photo of my muse Bitzie.