“He dropped me off in the middle of the freeway while I was 7 months pregnant, and drove away. ENOUGH was ENOUGH. I met a one-of-a-kind man.”
‘A baby will solve it all.’ He didn’t want pregnancy to take away from HIS attention. It was the LAST STRAW.’: Woman finds love after abusive marriage, ‘It’s a process, but you WILL trust again’
‘If you tell anyone about this, you won’t live.’ I was determined to break the generational curses and trauma. Survival mode kicked in.’: Abuse survivor shares journey to healing and self-love
“At 3 years old, I was forced to drink raw eggs and smoke half of a cigarette by my mom’s boyfriend. The court system failed me. At 19, I became homeless. I tried to leave my relationship but found myself fighting an uphill battle. By the time I had my second daughter, I knew I needed to find a way out.”
‘We either need to end things or get married.’ I was completely blind to what she was doing. I thought I’d found my forever.’: Domestic violence survivor urges ‘you will find love’
“I was blinded by my affection. I found myself escaping into the stairwell to cry, several times a day for weeks. I purchased makeup to cover the bruises, but it slowly wore me out. I could no longer pretend I was okay.”
‘I’m hurt you’d date my ex!’ She tried to pin abuse on us. We called their phone. No one answered.’: Blended family forced to leave kids details journey, ‘We can’t wait to be together again’
“His son never wanted to see us again. He loves video games and changed his name to ‘leaving.’ He was hurting and did not know how to express it. When we called their phone, no one answered.”
‘You’re OK now. You’re safe.’ WRONG. They assumed I wanted drugs. ‘We need to start treatment ASAP.’: Woman recovers from addiction, battles Lupus, ‘I CHOOSE not to let life get me down’
“’I can tell by your tears no one has ever believed you, have they?’ I said no. ‘Well, I do.’ I was right, and now there was evidence.”
‘You knew who he was when you married him.’ I just have to be a good housewife. I have no other option.’: Woman escapes abusive marriage, ‘My son can finally be a normal kid’
“This was it. THIS was the time he’d change. ‘You have to forgive him if you want to be happy.’”
‘I couldn’t find an Uber. A few drinks in was the sweet spot. I needed to go home. In the moment, I felt sorry for him.’: Abuse survivor recounts chilling night
“At about 4 a.m. we were winding down. I needed to get back to my daughter. I wish I could say I ended it right then. We loaded up and headed back to the hotel. I should’ve gone home. I thought somehow I could fix him.”
‘I love you, Mommy. I love you. MOMMY!’ She interrupted her daddy’s beratements. He was a pastor and he ‘never’ laid a hand on me.’: Domestic abuse survivor urges ‘every soul has the power to fight’
“That—it turns out—was the slap in the face I needed. I was a victim of domestic violence. After all, he was a pastor and he never laid a hand on me.”
‘I made a HUGE mistake. The kids are gone.’ My heart broke. ‘Can you return and take her?’ It was too late.’: Mom describes ups and downs of foster care, ‘The journey’s been worth it’
“We met at a McDonald’s parking lot, her belongings in a trash bag, and had a quick goodbye. I was left dumbfounded. She would yell, ‘I’m going to burn your house down!’ People on the outside had no idea what went on behind closed doors.”
‘I kissed him with a face full of blood. I hid his gun every time an argument was coming. I built up every part of him, while he destroyed each part of me.’: Woman’s harrowing story shows ‘how easily domestic violence can go unnoticed’
“This was a man I️ would’ve given my last breath for, but chances are, he’d be the one taking it from me. I painted the most beautiful picture of our family while living in horror. Five and a half years ago, I would’ve said it could never be me.”
