Sharon K. Dailey is Creating a Safe Space for Resilient Women

Sharon K. Dailey is a domestic violence survivor and advocate. She is currently working to open the doors of her nonprofit, My Auntie’s House, which will be one of the only safe houses in Maryland for women and children impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.

“My purpose is to create that space,” Sharon says.

After a traumatic experience as an assault victim, Sharon relocated from her home in Maryland for a few years. During this difficult time, she was also separated from her children for their safety. When she decided to return home, she was welcomed into her own aunt’s house.

“She was the only one, when I did get back, that provided a place for me to stay,” Sharon explains.

Staying with her aunt had a profound impact on Sharon. And now she feels called to offer the same life-changing space to other women in need.

“I want them to get back on their feet,” she adds.

With My Auntie’s House, Sharon plans to provide a safe space where women and children can rebuild their lives. She has a plan to take care of everything – from security to meals to arranging counseling for the survivors.

“I don’t want them to have to worry about anything but getting their life back. That’s my main objective,” she shares.

Becoming an Auntie for Others

Sharon has experienced the toll of abuse firsthand. And she has also seen how abuse can reverberate through a family. She was able to help her son get the care he needed as he navigated the traumas of abuse and addiction.

“I want people to be able to get the help they need, to know that someone cares enough to love them enough to help them be restored, to get back on their feet, and then release them however they want to be, whether it be locally, if they want to relocate, I want to help them get relocated, and just come back to a normal life,” she says.

Before starting My Auntie’s House, Sharon served in the military and worked as a substitute teacher. But her experiences with domestic violence and sexual assault changed the course of her life and led her to start her nonprofit.

Along her journey, both her aunt and Victory Gospel Chapel in Portsmouth, Virginia played influential roles in preparing her to share her mission with other women. She received spiritual counseling from the church, which allowed her to start her own healing process. This experience also taught her how she could help others.

“I saw how it was working with my own eyes,” she explains.

Her Advice? Love Yourself

Sharon wants to help women and children understand the importance of respecting and loving themselves.

“You have to love yourself first before you can love anybody else,” she shares.

She believes that by loving yourself, you will do what is right for you and your family. She also wants women to remember the power of the word “no.”

“You’ve got to understand the power of having that control over your own life,” she adds.

In the face of trauma, abuse and illness, Sharon has been able to reach a place of love in her own life. And now she is ready to help other women do the same.

“We need to understand that everything does happen for a reason and try to find the positive about what’s happening,” she says.