LIVING BEYOND SURVIVING: HOW JESTINA DUNCAN IS EMPOWERING WOMEN TO HEAL

By any measure, Jestina Duncan is a woman on a mission. A domestic abuse practitioner, consultant, podcast host, and award-winning community leader, Jestina has turned her personal pain into a powerful purpose. Helping other women not only survive abuse but rebuild their lives with confidence, dignity, and strength.

Based in Birmingham, Jestina is the founder of Living Beyond Surviving Consultancy, a domestic abuse support service offering tailored, trauma-informed care. Her work is rooted in lived experience. “As a survivor myself,” she says, “I know how hard it is to navigate life after abuse. My passion is to support, uplift, and empower women who have walked the same path.”

Originally launched in 2017 as Females of Empowerment, her organisation was rebranded in 2021 to reflect a deeper commitment: guiding women beyond survival into a place of wholeness. She helps professionals in the public and corporate sectors better support domestic abuse victims through workshops, individual sessions, and training.

Jestina holds a degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology and brings over a decade of frontline experience to her work. But her influence extends beyond the office or training room. In 2021, she launched the ‘Ladies Table Talk Podcast’, a platform where women share their stories, find community, and discover the power of being heard. “Storytelling is healing,” she explains. “It helps survivors realise they are not alone.”

In 2024, Jestina took her mission a step further by founding Queens Supporting Queens, a safe and nurturing support group specifically for Black women affected by domestic abuse. “Black women often face unique barriers, cultural, societal, and systemic,that can make recovery even harder,” she says. “As a Black woman, I understand those challenges and wanted to create a space where our voices, experiences, and heritage are acknowledged and honoured.”

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