Kimberly Black Wisseman

Kimberly Black Wisseman has quadriplegia, a severe physical disability, as a result of a car accident that occurred when she was a young woman. Over the course of the next several years, she experienced horrific abuse at the hands of her boyfriend/caregiver. She was raped, beaten, and virtually imprisoned. 

Wisseman feared that her abuser would kill her. She pursued his arrest and prosecution through the proper authorities and testified at trial against him. 

Wisseman was determined to use her voice, her survival, and the power of her story as a source of inspiration, enlightenment, and comfort to others. She pursued her advanced education with the goal of providing services for other crime victims with disabilities. 

Today Wisseman, LMSW, is a domestic violence counselor at SafePlace. She works primarily with individuals with disabilities who have experienced family or caregiver violence. 

She annually counsels 35 to 40 abuse survivors with physical, cognitive, sensory, psychiatric, or multiple disabilities. She offers one-on-one counseling, safety planning, court accompaniment, advocacy, and support group services. Wisseman also shares her personal story of survival with thousands of people each year.