Survivor Story: Her Abuser Uses Custody of Their Son to Control and Manipulate Her
Submitted by: *Ashley, survivor Leaving an abusive relationship is the most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence. The risks of leaving include many retaliatory behaviors such as assaults, hostage and kidnapping situations, stalking, and fatality. These risks extend far beyond the members of the household and include the victim, children, pets, their friends […]
Survivor Story: I Temporarily Lost Custody of My Son After A Brutal Attack
Submitted by: *Marta, Survivor Children are not spared the trauma of witnessing domestic violence in the home. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, children are targets of abuse by 30-60% of perpetrators in homes where domestic violence occurs. Additionally, witnessing abuse in the home dramatically increases their risk of experiencing neglect and fatality as […]
Survivor Story: She Fought for Custody After Learning Her Son Had Been Sexually Abused by His Grandfather
Submitted by: *Adelina, Survivor Abusers often take advantage of those who have low self-esteem and difficult home lives by love-bombing them and making them feel like they finally have a safe space. It is not uncommon for the victim to leave one bad situation at home, only to find themselves trapped in another that is […]
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: Trying to Co-Parent with Her Abuser Delayed Healing
Submitted by: Bonnie, Survivor As survivors of domestic violence know, healing from abuse is a lifelong journey that can be filled with countless obstacles. Survivors who have exited abusive relationships or marriages with children often find themselves struggling to co-parent with an abuser who exploits divorce and custody situations, thereby continuing to cause emotional trauma […]
Survivor Story: Five Things That Happen After You Leave
Written by: BTSADV Survivor I have spent the last six years of my life dealing with the aftermath of my abusive marriage – six years. I was married to him for eight years, and nearly half of my life has been driven by my experience with domestic violence. I started speaking out only three years […]