Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily-Anne Buck.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
The roots of my domestic violence public speaking come from jail. Working there, that is. With Criminal Justice as my background, I worked as a pretrial officer for 11 years for the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. During my first full year working in the jail, while discussing a domestic violence case with my colleague, she and I talked about my own story. Three hours later, with snot, tears, heavy breathing, sniffles and all, she told me: “You have a story to tell. You’ve got to share this with people.” In that cement block square of an office, I didn’t know what it meant for myself at the time. I was too scared. Too frightened of what others would think. I was as opposite as bold as you could get. But I was listening. God was with us in our office that day in building 2 of the detention facility. He spoke life into me through my tear-filled coworker friend. Before I knew it, I was being recorded by the media in our police department, sharing my story to play on repeat to the local TV station. God was calling me to something. He was creating a space for me to “become.” Broken to beautiful, beauty from ashes, victim to Victorious. Now 14 or so years later, I’ve been passionately speaking to Knox County Schools, churches, youth groups, and seminars in and out of state, sharing my story of teen dating and domestic violence.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Anything worth fighting for is never smooth or easy. I had a made-up name, Anna Banks, in my first speaking gigs. Anna Banks was who I hid behind. Any news interview showed the back of me; I wouldn’t show my face. Anna hid me. She was my safe place if “they” (his family) found out. She was the who I could find my new identity as I was finally venturing out to tell my story in public to strangers. What if I speak out to a crowd, and he is in the audience? Or see it on TV and recognize my hair, my voice? That couldn’t happen. The first time the news reached out to interview me for domestic violence awareness month, without hesitation, I said no. But that left me restless. God was stirring me for more. I realized it was my time now. I wasn’t just surviving; I was thriving. I was stronger and more passionate about warning teenagers about the signs of abuse and what to look for in healthy relationships. I accepted the interview. The next day I had an email from my abuser’s mother demanding I call her. She found me. There was no hiding anymore. The family now knew what I had been doing for several years, and so did the people I went to high school with. At the time, many betrayed me, trashed my name, and couldn’t hear my side of the story due to a gag threat by the court. Now they were hearing the whole truth. And sadly, there are several to this day that still refuses to believe my side of the story. But I lived a life of no fear, and I knew the path God called me to. My abuser had no control over me anymore. My past wasn’t shackled to me anymore. The only thing that mattered now was doing exactly what I was called to do. And I was obedient to that. I knew this was an opportunity to share my story of healing too. And Jesus was my Healer.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
After 11 years working for the Sheriff’s Office, I left my job to pursue self-employment as a public speaker on Teen Dating and Domestic Violence. I also work part-time for a nonprofit ministry called Renew Clinic.
I specialize in educating on local and national statistics of domestic violence, highlighting abusive warning signs in domestic violence and dating relationships, and discussing what abuse is: emotional, psychological, sexual, financial, and physical. I shine a light on how to reach out, get help, find victory, and overcome. Through my personal relationship, I give the audience an understanding of a destructive domestic relationship.
I am most proud of the Marsy’s Law Champion of Victim’s Rights award I received in 2021. It’s just a beautiful award that sits in my office for some people, but to me, it reflects the light at the end of the tunnel. I never knew 20+ years ago this is where I’d be today. Praise God! But I am also most proud of how I get the opportunity to love teenagers and make sure they know their worth. 1 in 3 girls is affected by dating and domestic violence, so it is very much needed in today’s society.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
- I love this! First, I must thank my incredible parents, who never left my side during that time. At 16 years old, I went through 3 different therapists/advocates, 2 of which helped tremendously. I want to thank Joyce Conkin, who loved me well and helped me during that time. Also, I had a Young Life leader who poured into me on a bus trip on the way home from a weekend trip, Kelli Sexton. Her conversation with me that day has impacted me forever.
- I want to thank Mary Anne Miller for the conversation in the jail that started all of this. She encouraged me and pushed me to share my story. If it wasn’t for her, I might have continued to have buried what happened to me.
- Much love to my husband, Jason, who initially struggled with his wife sharing all her skeletons in her closet but has supported me endlessly through it
- I have so many friends and family members that have been there to cheer me on and pray for me for years and years now. They know who they are.
- One of the biggest shout-outs of gratitude is to my partner in crime, David Kitts, with the Knoxville Police Department. He and I have done this together hundreds of times to thousands and thousands of kids for 14 years. He is my greatest cheerleader and advocate. We have cried together and laughed together through it all over the years. He is one of the most influential people in my life. He is truly my big brother.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://emilyab12.wixsite.com/mysite
- Instagram: @emily.anne.buck
