About Millicent

Millicent Starnes is a nationally accredited victim advocate, survivor of both childhood and adult sexual violence, and the founder of the Millicent Starnes Recovery Institute. Her life’s work was born not from theory, but from survival, from walking through the darkest valleys of trauma and choosing to rise.

Millicent’s story is not just one of pain, but of power. After becoming re-victimized by sexual violence, domestic violence and spiritual abuse, she turned her lived experience into a calling: to create the very refuge, education, and support system that she wished had existed during her own healing journey.

She began her advocacy work over a decade ago and quickly emerged as a courageous voice for justice. As the co-founder of Naomi’s House of Hope, Millicent helped create support systems for women escaping domestic violence. Over time, her mission expanded—reaching those affected by rape, child sexual abuse, trafficking, and systemic failures that often leave survivors silenced. Her advocacy background includes serving as a domestic violence court advocate at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse and contributing to key organizations such as NCCADV, NCCASA, and the Mecklenburg County Domestic Violence Advocacy Council.

Millicent is a certified facilitator of Darkness to Light, a national child sexual abuse prevention program. With a foundation in psychology, she has led trauma-informed lectures for teens and young adults, continuing to inspire hope and transformation across communities

In 2024, she founded the Millicent Starnes Recovery Institute (MSR Institute) to raise the national standard of care for survivors of sexual violence. Through education, professional training, and survivor-centered advocacy, she is leading a movement to equip professionals, empower survivors, and expose the systems and institutions that enable abuse.