GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Tina Turner’s name on the marquee outside Van Andel Arena announced her last appearance in Grand Rapids in 2000.

Six blocks to the east at the office of the YWCA West Central Michigan, it wasn’t just the music that mattered: It was the revelation by Turner in the 1980s that she was a domestic abuse survivor.

“No one is immune to domestic violence. It can happen to anyone,” YWCA West Central Michigan CEO Charisse Mitchell said.

Turner died this week at age 83.

In the ’60s and ’70s, she and her husband made it big with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. But there was a dark flip side to the music. In her 1986 biography, “I, Tina,” Turner discussed the abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband. It was a watershed moment for domestic abuse survivors.

“To have people like Tina Turner and others in public spaces who are public-facing, that people look up to and admire, say, ‘This is real,’ it is important for survivors to know they’re not alone,” Mitchell said. “That was a reminder to everyone who may have been suffering in silence that this is not something we need to be ashamed of. “

As the stigma of domestic violence began to ease, the approach to dealing with it by organizations like the YWCA evolved.

“Having survivors be responsible for their own safety is a very limited view of domestic violence,” Mitchell said.

Domestic violence is now considered a community problem in need of a community approach to solutions.

“I want to know what can we do as a community? What is the next step? What kinds of environments and safety can we create? What is a community doing when a perpetrator is harming someone?” Mitchell said.

If you or someone you know in an abusive relationship and needs help, you can call the YWCA anytime at 616.454.9922 or go to its website to chat.