Survivor Story: She Didn’t Know There Were Advocates Who Could Help Her Leave Her Abuser
Written by: *Brenda, Survivor Growing up, Brenda was not taught about red flags that could alert her to an abusive or toxic relationship. She interpreted some things that happened early in the relationship as normal; in reality, they were subtle indications of control. Survivor Brenda shares with us how the control escalated over time into […]
Survivor Story: Her Abuser Broke Her Ribs Because She Would Not Give Him Money
Submitted By: Erica, Survivor Even without additional stressors, domestic violence tends to escalate over time as the abuser becomes more controlling and usurps power in the relationship. When drug or alcohol is added to the mix, it becomes more dangerous. Survivor Erica briefly shares with us how the abuse escalated and what happened the night […]
Survivor Story: Questions We Have Before Leaving an Abuser
Submitted by: Joanna When we reach the point where we are ready to leave an abuser, we are often weighed down with fear, confusion, and sadness. Our abusers have conditioned us to believe that we are not worth better, that no one will believe us if we disclose the abuse, and that no one will […]
Survivor Story: A Son Saves His Mother’s Life
Submitted By: Jovan, Survivor Domestic violence affects millions of women, men, and children each year. For military families dealing with abuse, there are unique obstacles and stressors generally not faced by civilian families. In addition to service members struggling with the stress of deployment, frequent moves, combat assignments, and work-related issues, many military families also […]
Survivor Story: People I Didn’t Know Came Forward to Help after My Children and I Left My Abuser
Written by: BTSADV Survivor Recently, I watched a show about a murdered domestic violence victim whose experiences were similar to mine. I experienced verbal, emotional, physical, and financial abuse while I was with my ex. Over and over again, I was abused and told I was worthless. There were times where I would leave for […]
Survivor Story: Rosie’s Triumphant Happy Ending
By Jill Crowner Rosie Love had her first encounters with abuse at an early age. In the second grade, she was continually chased down on the playground by a boy who she thought to be her friend. He would isolate her on the far side of the playground, pin her to a chain-link fence and […]