By Payton Tholstrup
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Miss Kansas 2024 (Alexis Smith) is continuing to use her platform to speak out and raise awareness. On her Instagram page, she said, “I stand as a survivor and with survivors as we utilize this month to empower, educate, and start conversations about this epidemic that impacts our lives daily.”
Smith went viral back in June when she spoke out about her experience as a domestic violence survivor and what she envisioned her message would be if she were named the 2024 titleholder. “My vision as the next Miss Kansas is to eliminate unhealthy and abusive relationships. Matter of fact, some of you out in this audience saw me very emotional because my abuser is here today, but that’s not going to stop me from being on this Miss Kansas stage and from representing as the next Miss Kansas,” she said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 41% of women and 26% of men have reported sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner. More than 61 million women and 53 million men have reported psychological aggression by an intimate partner.
Smith said sharing her story is an opportunity to help her heal from her trauma. She has launched her community service initiative, “Respect Reclaimed: Advocating for Healthy Relationships” and has continued to be a strong advocate for survivors everywhere.
On October 5th, she announced a partnership with the Wichita Family Crisis Center. She shared that this non-profit is extra special to her because it helped a particular individual that she cares about.
Smith also attended “Glow and Know” at the end of September, an event hosted by BrightHouse Kansas in collaboration with the Hutchinson Police Department at Carey Park.
