And So I Stayed:
WVCADV Sponsors Film Screening for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – “There was a gun in my face, what else was I supposed to do?” asked Nikki Addimando, a mother of two.

Addimando survived, but was jailed for second-degree murder after she used a knife to defend herself from her longtime abuser.

For Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WVCADV) is sponsoring a free film screening for the public, in anticipation of upcoming efforts to improve legal justice for survivors in WV.  WVCADV will be partnering with Legal Aid to focus on this work.

The film, “And So I Stayed,” is an award-winning documentary featuring survivors of abuse who were revictimized by the justice system when they defended themselves from their abusers.  The film follows three survivors, including Addimando.

One study found that most incarcerated women report a history of domestic abuse in some form, including being abused as children, or witnessing an abuser in the family use abuse on someone else, such as a parent or sibling.

Survivors may be charged when they fight back to defend themselves or a child, or sometimes they may be criminalized for coerced criminal acts. The abuser can cause other long-term destabilization in the lives of survivors that eventually leads to incarceration, such as loss of housing that pushes them to meet survival needs by theft or other criminal acts. Coping with the effects of their trauma can also lead survivors to use substances and risk arrest.

This film starkly illustrates how the legal system can negatively impact survivors.

“It’s a tragic fact that survivors can get wrongly caught up in the legal justice system,“ said Tonia Thomas, a team coordinator for WVCADV. “The documentary we’re screening tells the story of three survivors who were revictimized by our justice system after years of abuse.”

The film has garnered a number of accolades and awards:

• Spirit and Audience Award for Best Documentary – Brooklyn Film Festival
• Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature – St. Louis International Film Festival
• Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature – Monadnock International Film Festival
• … and more.

The screening is free to the public, and will occur at the Four Points Sheraton in Charleston from 9am to noon on October 22, including a moderated discussion after the film concludes.

Although the screening is free, registration is required because seating is limited. Register for the free film screening here:

Watch the preview of “And So I Stayed.”

Join Us After the Film for an Inspiration Luncheon 

After the free events, WVCADV will also host a ticketed awards luncheon starting at 12:30, honoring West Virginians who’ve done extraordinary work over the past year in the field of domestic violence advocacy.

Read more about the luncheon at this link.