Survivor Story: The Abuse Escalated to Strangulation and Rape
Submitted by: *Brandy, Survivor Survivors often admit that leaving an abuser was not a one-time event for them. Successfully exiting an abusive relationship can take an average of seven times, and each time a victim returns, there may be a short period of calm. However, once the abuse resumes, the level of violence typically escalates […]
Survivor Story: After Serving a Lenient Sentence, Her Abuser Tried to Contact Her
Submitted by: *Sherrie, Survivor Calling the police as a victim of domestic violence can be a terrifying experience. Some may fear retaliation from their abuser or a response of indifference on the part of law enforcement. Still, others may have an abuser who is in law enforcement themselves or has friends and family working in […]
Survivor Story: My Abuser Told the Military Police That I Assaulted Him
Written by: BTSADV Survivor When I was 14 years old and a freshman in high school, I didn’t know about sex because my parents were old fashioned and believed that the school should teach that. My older brother was a junior that year and always drove me to school. One day after school let out, […]
Survivor Story: Devine Faith
By Jamey Sheesley Devine Kelly grew up in a home with domestic violence. Her brother was abusive to his girlfriend and Devine heard the screams and the punches. She saw his girlfriend run out of her brother’s room with a bloody face. It was then that she knew that she did not want to be […]
Survivor Story: I Never Saw It as Abuse
Written by: BTSADV Survivor My heart breaks as I write about someone whom I don’t know anymore, and I am not sure I ever did. Did he know me? Maybe, but not as he should have. Not like he said he did. Why? I lived a year and a half of my entire life for […]
Survivor Story: From Bruised and Broken, to Strong and Free
Written by: BTSADV Survivor I just started my freshman year at university when I met, who I thought, was the man of my dreams. I was playing volleyball when I met him, and we instantly clicked. We had so much in common; it was like he was a boy version of me. I could tell […]