Freedom from Abuse is possible, and there is happiness and healing on the other side. We support survivors of any form of abuse. (Physical, Sexual, Emotional, Mental, Financial, etc) If you are currently in a violent situation, we encourage you to get to safety.
The idea that these words might someday help someone is essentially the one thing that keeps me going, no matter what. I did not deserve to endure violence any more than you deserved your abuse, mistreatment, or disrespect. We are a community of Survivors who understand better than anyone how valuable life is, and what we are capable of in the face of danger. You overcame obstacles and fought to keep yourself alive, where you find yourself today, seeking to better understand what happened to you and how to heal and move on. I know this because I am doing the same.
I know what fear is. I’ve lived with fear, and experienced it’s torment each morning when I opened my eyes, and every night before I went to sleep. This continued for six months. I’m not sure how much time it would take someone to break, but this was enough time to break me. And I mean completely and entirely broke me mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I spent months pretending to be someone I was not, being conditioned to tip toe around the violence, knowing that one day I was most likely going to leave in a body bag. I thought about freeing myself many times, but it was not so simple. There were many variables holding me back - mainly a gun. Mainly the threat of my family members and loved ones. Fear can be very persuasive.
Now, four years after becoming free from the violence, I also know what healing is, and I believe that you can experience it too. Every day, you are healing. Every day you are better than you were the day before, even if you don’t feel like it. If you set your intentions and take the necessary steps, you can do anything. You are a powerful and intelligent human being.
What I hope you take away from these words is that healing is possible, and so is freedom from abuse and violence. It takes a huge leap of faith, careful planning, and courage to break free, but when you do, there is endless support on the other side and a growing happiness. When I became free, I discovered a new appreciation for everything - being able to have conversations with friends, strangers, being able to use the internet and make searches, being able to sleep at night without the fear of my hair being pulled. I felt inspired to make music, write books and poetry, and start a new business of self-care boxes. There is so much to look forward to on the other side of abuse. Believe in yourself, and do not give into the lies they tell you. And there are so many lies they will tell you. We will cover that in another section moving forward.
So who am I? My name is Amy and I am a survivor of abuse. I have made it my life’s mission to connect with victims and show you that there is another path for you. We see you, we hear you, we believe you. This entire community has its arms around you. We must stand united against domestic abuse, and educate the community, especially young people, about the red flags and how to handle these situations. They say abuse is one of those things you don’t understand fully until you’ve experienced it, and this is true. But it doesn’t have to be. I knew that something was wrong when I was experiencing violence, but I didn’t realize I was being abused until weeks after moving away from the situation. This stems from a lack of education about abuse, and as a community we need to change the narrative. We should empower each other to seek help and stand up against violent and aggressive people.
Lots more info coming soon including:
What is Abuse? Red Flags
The Truth About Abuse
The Lies They Tell You
What To Do - Safety Plan
Opportunities, Support
No Contact
Therapy and EMDR
Self Injury & Suicide Ideation
Forgiveness (is your choice)
Messages from Survivors
Be Gentle With Yourself
Continued Healing, What To Do From Here?
Healing Music
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800.799.SAFE (7233)