Survivor Story: The Abuse Escalated to a Point Where I Feared for My Children
Written by: BTSADV Survivor Our relationship started out alright. It was new, he was different, and I thought I was in love because he seemed nicer than the rest. After a few weeks went by, he was already living with me. After a few months passed, we were engaged. At one year we were married, […]
Survivor Story: I Didn’t Want to Live Anymore, but I Couldn’t Leave My Children
Written by: Stephanie, Survivor My name is Stephanie, and I am a survivor of domestic violence. I want to share my story with you and give hope to anyone that is a domestic violence survivor or still in an abusive relationship. My passion – and mission – is to end domestic violence. I was 15 […]
Survivor Story: Rosie’s Triumphant Happy Ending
By Jill Crowner Rosie Love had her first encounters with abuse at an early age. In the second grade, she was continually chased down on the playground by a boy who she thought to be her friend. He would isolate her on the far side of the playground, pin her to a chain-link fence and […]
My Child was Sexually Assaulted: Now What?
By Chyna Snell As parents and caregivers, discovering that your child has been sexually assaulted can bring a range of emotions out of us. Children also experience many things following sexual assault, including, but not limited to, embarrassment, shame, confusion, and anxiety. While finding methods of processing your feelings about this situation, it is critical […]
Pregnancy Pressures: Learning About Reproductive Coercion
By Sunny Lim In healthy relationships, partners respect each another’s autonomy and choices. In abusive relationships, bodily autonomy disappears and transforms into a term known as reproductive coercion. According to Love is Respect, reproductive coercion occurs when a person prevents their partner controlling their reproductive health. Reproductive coercion is a form of sexual abuse. Abusers […]
Is it Sexual Assault if You’re Married?
By Jenn Rockefeller One of the many questions that abuse survivors ask themselves is, “Is it sexual assault if you’re married?” It’s a valid question to ask because all we want to know is if our experiences were real or imagined. Think about it: many of us are taught early on that what happens between […]