Lindsay Delivers Keynote Address And Joins Westlake Students And College Students In A Fashion Show & Fundraiser Benefitting The National Dating Abuse Helpline
Austin, Texas- April 30, 2011-The Fourth Annual ‘A Day to Shine’ Awards Luncheon and Fashion Show benefitting the National Dating Abuse Helpline kicked off today at the Barton Creek Resort featuring students from Westlake High School, Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, Austin Community College and the University of Alabama in a Fashion Show to raise awareness about teen dating abuse and raise money for the National Dating Abuse Helpline. The Helpline is the only organization in the country that provides a live peer to peer chatting service to teens and young adults who are facing issues related to sexting, digital, verbal, mental and physical abuse.
The Helpline, based in Austin and housed with the National Domestic Violence Hotline, offers new and innovative services to teens across the country who are experiencing dating abuse and those who are looking to engage in healthy relationships by utilizing technologies that teens and young adults use most often: the telephone, web, and chat. Young men and women can anonymously contact trained peer-to-peer advocates by telephone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-866-331-9474 or www.loveisrespect.org to chat (IM style)
Lindsay Martin, an attorney in the Austin and University of Texas Graduate, delivered the keynote address telling her powerful story of courage and survival after one fateful day forever changed her life when she was jogging on the greenbelt as a UT student. Lindsay was raped by a man who jumped her, held a knife to her neck and told her he would kill her if she told anyone.
Lindsay showed her strength and bravery by ignoring her attacker’s threats and reporting the rape. She also convinced the rapist to give her shirt back after the attack. The shirt contained his DNA evidence and helped lead to his conviction. It was also discovered that he had raped two other girls on Austin’s greenbelt and he is now serving two life sentences in prison.
“Lindsay’s actions show she is a courageous young woman and an inspiration to teens and college students who are facing adversity. Her message is you should come forward and get help. There are organizations that are willing to help, whether a young person is having a problem with dating abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse or a litany of other issues facing young people today,” said Dyanne Purcell, CEO of the National Dating Abuse Helpline.
A Westlake couple was also honored today by the National Dating Abuse Helpline with the inaugural LifeStyle Award for their outstanding service to the community. The award exemplifies an individual or couple who, through an outward reflection of their heart and soul, is committed to strength of character, inspirational leadership and service to others.
Sterling and Lauren Wilson have volunteered their time and raised money for many charitable causes in Austin. Lauren is a member of the Austin Junior League, chaired fundraising events and volunteered for 12 years at St. Andrew’s School while Sterling served on the Board of Trustees for St. Andrew’s. They were also one of the founding funders of the Austin Tennis Academy, a nationally ranked academy based in Austin.
Lauren is a dedicated mother of twin boys, wife, volunteer and was a schoolteacher for the Austin Independent School District. Sterling is a dedicated father, husband and successful businessman. He was a star quarterback at Anderson High School and a captain of two Southwest Conference Championship Football Teams at SMU.
“It was important to Lauren and I that we set a good example and we were the first ones to put money up to start the new academy,” said Sterling Wilson. “It is a phenomenal school and it is nationally known and kids want to come here from all over to play tennis. You can make a difference hopefully in thousands of lives, but if you can make a difference in just one life, you have made a significant difference in the world.”
About the Helpline
loveisrespect, National Dating Abuse Helpline was launched in February 2007 with help from founding sponsor, Liz Clairborne Inc. It is a national 24-hour resource that can be accessed by phone or the internet, specifically designed for teens and young adults. The Helpline and loveisrespect.org offer real-time one-on-one support from trained Peer Advocates. Managed by the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH), loveisrespect, National Dating Abuse Helpline operates from a call center in Austin, Texas. Peer Advocates are trained to offer support, information and advocacy to those involved in dating abuse relationships as well as concerned parents, teachers, clergy, law enforcement, and service providers.
About Lindsay Martin
Lindsay is an associate attorney in the Austin office of McKool Smith where she focuses on intellectual property litigation. Lindsay was crowned Miss Teen of America 1999, the same year she graduated as the top-ranking female in a class of 800 from Midland High School. She graduated from the UT business Honors Program in 2003 with a degree in finance and then received her law degree at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law where she was inducted into the National Order of the Barrister, an honor achieved by the top 10 advocates of the law school.