Amanda Berry, 27, Gina DeJesus, 24, and Michelle Knight, 33, were presented with their awards by Ohio Governor John Kasich during his annual courage awards. The trio received a standing ovation from the crowd.
In May 2013 the three women managed to escape from Ariel Castro's home, where they had been kept prisoner for a decade in unimaginable circumstances.
Introducing the women, Kasich said: 'No one rescued them, they rescued themselves-first by staying strong and sticking together, then by literally breaking out into freedom.'
Amanda Berry phoned the police after the girls managed to escape from their prison, saying: 'Help me. I'm Amanda Berry. I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for 10 years, and I'm, I'm here, I'm free now.'
The women were kidnapped separately between 2002 and 2004 at the ages of 14,16 and 21.
Their captor, Ariel Castro, who used to subject the girls to torture on a daily basis, hanged himself in prison just a few weeks into his 1,000 year sentence.
Kasich described the trio as 'three extraordinary women, who despite having the worst in this world thrown at them, rose above it and emerged not as victims, but as victors.'
The audience then cheered and clapped for more than two minutes - the longest ovation of the night.
'I will overcome all this that happened. I will live on, you will die a little every day.'
Michelle, 33, bravely made the decision to appear at Castro's trial, in which she told him: 'I spent 11 years in hell, your hell is just beginning.'
She added: 'I will overcome all this that happened. I will live on, you will die a little every day.'
Knight also appeared on TV with Dr. Phil, describing the daily torture ideal in which she'd often be 'tied up by my feet and neck like a fish.'
The TV Doctor said the interview had effected him more than any other in his 12 years of doing the show.