Allstate Chairman and CEO Tom Wilson Receives International Award for Helping Victims of Domestic Violence and Financial Abuse

Recognized for his ongoing commitment to halting the epidemic of violence against women, Allstate Chairman and CEO Tom Wilson was one of five men honored last week with a Solidarity Award from global organization Vital Voices.

The only business leader among this year’s honorees, Wilson was recognized for leading The Allstate Foundation’s work to provide long-term safety and security for domestic violence survivors through financial empowerment. The Foundation is the only national corporate foundation focusing on financial empowerment as a way to end domestic violence.

“All of us must stand up for victims of domestic violence,” Wilson said. “Let’s take away perpetrators’ weapons of choice: silence and financial bondage.”

Now in its second year, the Vital Voices Solidarity Award “recognizes men who have shown courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls in the United States and around the world,” according to the organization’s website.

In the last decade, the Foundation has invested more than $43 million to help nearly 800,000 survivors take steps toward financial independence and live free from violence. The Foundation’s work includes the first academically validated, financial curriculum for survivors; direct service grants to state and local domestic violence organizations; and training programs for more than 8,600 abuse counselors. To further raise public awareness, Wilson and his team in 2011 launched the Purple Purse campaign, which over the course of a decade has raised more than $5.5 million for more than 160 domestic violence programs across the U.S.

Along with Wilson, this year’s Vital Voices Solidarity Award recipients include:

• Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein: A former peacekeeper and diplomat advancing the inclusion of women in all UN efforts to protect human rights.
• Gary Barker: A global leader in engaging men and boys to promote gender equality and prevent violence against women.
• Sadou Lemankreo: A police officer and human rights defender who is challenging a culture of silence around violence against women and human trafficking in Cameroon.
• John Prendergast: An activist and author at the forefront of initiatives to support women survivors of conflict in Africa.

Last year’s honorees were Vice President Joe Biden, Sonke Gender Justic co-founder Bafana Khumalo, athlete and educator Donald McPherson and actor and activist Patrick Stewart.

For full biographies on recipients and more information on Vital Voices and the Solidarity Awards, visit http://www.vitalvoices.org/global-initiatives/vital-voices-solidarity-awards.