Janet is the director of the Maine International Pageant.
Janet with her portrait at the Finding Our Voices exhibit at the University of Maine Hutchinson Center in Belfast.
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2021
Today is an empowering day for me but also a reminder of pain. My banner is launched.
I walked a life of violence for about 6 years. I stepped down as your Mrs Maine Globe 2006 right before I was leaving for Nationals in California to represent married woman in Maine, which ironically enough had a National Platform for Abused woman. During that time I felt that I was not pretty enough, smart enough, kind enough or good enough to make it stop, to have a life without abuse; somehow I deserved what I had taken and if I could be strong enough, it would be better.
Domestic Violence does not discriminate with age, size, looks, financial status... It can happen to anyone. Any trauma can destroy you, break you and if it doesn't then you spend time making sure you don't let yourself forget and carry a guilt that can not be explained. You watch so many people in your life affected in so many ways. BUT here is the good news... There is light, there are beautiful moments in life just for you. You can step out of the victim and become the force no one can stop. You can use your story, your voice, your pain and show others you can be safe, you can sleep with both eyes closed. You can stop the fear and pain and begin to heal. You just need one person to trust, to hear you, to be your source of help.
I am so grateful to share my story, to work through my pain, to feel empowered and hopefully help someone. Though 9 out of 10 times you will still see me walking around the house with my shoes on and my keys in my right pocket.... I can stand here today and tell you... Life is worth so much more and so are you. If I can do it... so can you.
My life has come full circle where before opening Maine Internationals pageants in 2017 to help empower teens and woman... I proudly represented New England in 2015 at Nationals in Florida.