LEWISBURG -
When Greenbrier County resident Roger Lockridge was just 10-years-old, he had a gun pointed at him by his own father in a domestic violence situation.
Twenty years later, Lockridge is using his own background as a victim to take a stand against domestic violence.
Lockridge is the first person, and the first male, to ever stay, work, and serve on the board at the Family Refuge Center in Lewisburg.
"It's a very unique position I'm in because I'm male and this is such a female-oriented movement. You always hear about violence against women and children, but there are male victims and there are not very many men who are committed to the movement," said Lockridge.
He used weight training as a therapeutic way to overcome his traumatic experience, and has published more than 150 articles on body building's fitness site.
He uses his personal experience to prove happiness is still an option for all victims.
"My big thing whenever I've spoke is to always go for your dreams regardless of what adversity you have faced," said Lockridge.
The Family Refuge Center recently hired William Turner to be the executive director, and he is only the second male to ever hold such a position in the state.
"As a lawyer I certainly did advocacy. This is a different kind of advocacy. This is social change advocacy where we're trying to change behavior over time," said Turner.
Turner said women have been fighting domestic violence for 30 years and need more men to join the movement.
"They need men of good behavior and good intentions to come forward and help solve these problems," said Turner.
"For FRC to be able to say we have men in the movement, it will really speak out to other men not only around the area, but throughout the state, that more men need to step up and be involved in this issue," said Lockridge.
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