While the Grammys were mostly about music, the Recording Academy took a short detour to shine a light on domestic violence.
The interlude began with President Barack Obama stressing how important it was to stop domestic violence and finished with a powerful performance from Katy Perry.
In between the two, the Grammys invited Brooke Axtell to speak to the audience. The 34-year-old is a victim of rape and child trafficking. She performed a spoken-word piece just before Perry’s performance of “By The Grace of God.”
“Authentic love does not devalue another human being. Authentic love does not silence, shame or abuse,” Axtell told the crowd at the Staples Center. She later added, “Please reach out for help. Your voice will save you.”
Axtell was sexually abused when she was 7 and has made it her life’s work to stop domestic violence, notes The Washington Post. When she was a child, her mother and father had nannies take care of her. One, a seminarian she calls “Jim,” abused her. She didn’t tell her story until she became an adult, writing about it in a collection of essays.
Before Sunday’s ceremony, Axtell spoke with Salon, noting that she did not hesitate when offered the opportunity to speak at music’s biggest night.
“I was immediately excited by the opportunity to bring the issue of domestic violence into the light,” Axtell told Salon. “We know that 1 out of 4 women in the United States will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Our collaboration for the Grammys is a creative, intimate way to highlight this devastating trauma that impacts so many lives and show those who are currently in abusive relationships that we are standing with them.”
Axtell is the founder of SHE: Survivor Healing & Empowerment.
image of Katy Perry courtesy of Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com