Survivor Story: A Survivor Shares a Letter to Her Abuser
Submitted by: BTSASDV Survivor Writing letters that we will never send can help us process the hurt and trauma of past experiences. It can help us make sense of things that we struggle to understand. Survivors of trauma can also benefit from writing down our feelings or telling others how what they did affected us […]
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: Her Abuser Emotionally Manipulated Her to Get Her to Come Back
Submitted by: *Becky, Survivor On average, it takes seven times for a victim to successfully leave an abuser. Many things contribute to someone returning to their abuser, including financial dependence upon the abuser, desire to preserve their family, children, and fear. Survivor Becky shares with us how her abuser’s manipulation of her emotions and his […]
Survivor Story: Her Voice Was Heard in Court
Submitted by: Melissa, Survivor Leaving an abuser is terrifying and dangerous enough as it is. Having to face our abusers in court not only increases the risk of retaliation against the victim disclosing the abuse, it can also retraumatize them in the process. There is no guarantee that justice will be served, and for many […]
Survivor Story: Her Abuser Threatened to Mutilate and Kill Her if She Left
Submitted by: *Jenny, Survivor Leaving an abuser is not a simple case of just walking away, and it is not always immediate. It is not uncommon for a victim to wait years before leaving or go through a process of several attempts before they can permanently break free from the abuser. Regardless of how long […]
