“The message is not just for women”- Serena Williams

The 23-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams had captured the headlines last month due to her loss at the controversial US Open final. Lately, she mentioned the consequences of domestic violence. Besides her elite performance on the tennis courts, she is a mother of girl child which makes her mentality stronger.

“I will continue to talk about uncomfortable topics. In order to make a change,” said Williams. “Having a daughter changes your outlook on so many things in the world. The last year has really changed my already passionate mindset. And, by the way, there’s a lot of other women out there that could be my daughter or my sister that are in an [abusive] situation. You never know… Sometimes you meet a person and they’re amazing and a week later or a month later or a couple years later they turn out to be something different, and it’s not [your] fault.”

Williams pays extra attention towards the financial abuses. She says, ‘[Victims] can’t leave their situation[s], because they cannot financially afford to. We want to make them aware that’s not okay… and provide victims with a safe way out of violence through financial tools and resources. The message is not just for women. It’s for men, as well. We need each other and need to help each other out. [Together] we can make a change.’ 

Additionally, Williams has taken some empowering steps to spread awareness in the society. Her  “I Touch Myself” move in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is simply incredible. “Yes, this put me out of my comfort zone, but I wanted to do it because it’s an issue that affects all women of all colours, all around the world,” Williams mentioned on her Instagram post. “Early detection is key—it saves so many lives. I just hope this helps to remind women of that.”