MEMPHIS, Tenn-The wife of former Baltimore Ravens NFL player Wally Williams spoke to a large crowd in Memphis about her experience with domestic violence.
Dewan Smith-Williams made headlines last fall when she said domestic violence is an issue with NFL players.
WREG caught up with her at the YWCA luncheon in east Memphis where she shared her story.
About 400 people were a part of the event, many who attended are victims of domestic violence; a topic impacting a number of people right in Shelby County.
“You don’t have to stay in that situation,” said Williams.
Her ex-husband Wally Williams played with the Baltimore Ravens for 10 years. Dewan says he got physical with her.
“He took a baseball bat and chased me through the house with it; I locked myself in my closet in my room and I called the NFL and I spoke with the liaison,x” she said.
She says even when she reported the problem to the NFL, no one came to help. Dewan said her ex-husband even choked her with their children in her arms. She had the courage to walk away.
“Drove away from my house, I left everything and I started over but only you know when you’ve had enough,” she said,
YWCA director Jacquelyn Williams is hopeful Dewan’s message is going to hit home in the community.
“Sad to say because Memphis has a huge problem with poverty, not making excuses but having Ms. Dewan Williams says, hey, we’ve got to do something about our problem,” she stated.
The proceeds from this event will impact people going through exactly what Dewan Went through.
She just hopes they get the courage to walk away from domestic violence.
