Bryanna Ballard

I am a 24 year old single mother. I currently am a survivor of domestic violence. My abuser was my partner and is my sons dad. We were together for almost 3 years. He was a heavy drinker and an addict. But I tried my best to be there and help him get the help he needed. I gave love and support. I built a home with love and peace for the family I created. I have a 3 year old daughter and a 2 year old son. My abuser and I were close. At least I thought. He cheated on me a lot. I tried to ignore it but I was too deep into the relationship I felt stuck. I worked a full time job while raising 2 kids. My abuser was a full time dad. He helped with the kids and I paid for everything. He has beat me multiple times before. I miscarried November 16th 2021 due to him picking me up and slamming me. He put me in ICU for 2 days. 2 months after the miscarriage my abuser decided he was going to drink one night and ask me for $5. I couldn’t afford to give him $5 for beer. I was afraid to tell him I didn’t have it but I did. We got into a verbal argument. He was hateful with his words. It escalated quickly when he realized I called my cousin to vent. He took my phone. Grabbed me and slammed me on the couch. He covered my mouth and told me if I screamed he would kill me. He sat his knees on my shoulders and grabbed the shoelaces out of my shoes and tied my hands together and then tied my feet together. He forced cloth down in my mouth continuously trying to show it down my throat. He would claw my face and bite my lips. He then threw me to the floor attempting to hog tie me and strangle me. He was unsuccessful. He then threw me on my stomach and pulled my pants down and did things to me while I screamed and begged him to stop because of the pain. He had raped me. My abuser then turned me over and said if I didn’t do things that he asked me to he would jam scissors into my neck. So I did what he asked with tears in my eyes. After he was finished he decided to continue to beat me while I was on the grown in pain. He kicked me in the stomach. He would stand me up and shove me to the ground as hard as he could. He clawed my stomach. He tried to set me over fire. As I laid in the middle of my apartment floor he took a pair of horrible scissors and start to chop off chunks of my hair. I was beaten and held against my will for hours. Being tortured. He told me he was going to chop my flesh off and cook it. Until I was able to talk him into taking off the shoe laces on my hands. Next was my ankles. He let me out of both and told me if I moved he’d kill me. I worked up enough courage to try to sit on my couch because after 3 hours of being peed on. Beaten. Scratched, bitten and tortured. I was tired. I just wanted to sit down and that wasn’t ok with him so I tried to unlock the back door and I was able to get away. I ran to a neighbors apartment. They let me in. The police came. He stole my car and my phone. He ended up bringing my phone and Keys back the next day. The detective told me I was not allowed at my job or at home. I went 2 hours away and my abuser harassed me and tried to make me miserable. 1 week after he went on the run. My abuser was caught and I could finally go home. My kids are affected by him being gone and things are different. I still continue to work hard and push hard for things to be different. I’m slowly moving forward.