I remember the first time I witnessed a violent act. It was between my father and my mother, I was 7 years old and it was late at night. I woke up to yelling, which -- I won't deny -- happened often. Creeping down stairs, I sat on the steps that overlooked the family room. Sitting on the couch was my older sister and in front of her was my father and my mother. He was in her face yelling, calling her names that I knew I was to never repeat. He pushed my mother and went to slap her in the face, but in that moment, my sister did something remarkable. She stood up and pushed him away. I wish this was the first and last time I saw these moments, but I can't say it was.

When I was growing up, my father often would call me into a room holding a magazine. It was never a specific one, but it was mostly filled with women. Not like Playboy magazines, but ones with celebrities. He'd tell me to pick out a new mommy because mine wasn't good enough. I'd cry and run away saying I don't want a new mommy. I now know this wasn't to hurt me, it was to hurt her.

Parents don't always know that their children are aware. But they are. They can feel helpless, scared, upset, and as if the violence was their fault. As a child, I should have been afraid of ghost stories and the boogie man, but instead I was afraid of something far worse. What if he hit me? What if I was next? That fear became real for my sister and I, but my mother never believed us. She wasn't a bad person, she just didn't want to believe what was happening to her was happening to us, too. After 17 years of abuse, my mother left my father. She's now dating a man who is good for her.

Statistics say that children who live in domestic violence homes will be affected later in their dating life. My sister has hard time trusting men and only expects failure. As for me, I've been dating a boy for over a year now. He's really good to me, he knows what sets me off, and he knows how to sooth me. He deals with my affection issues and deals with the way I express love and hold it back. My sister and I try, we try to learn to love. My mother has learned.

Women aren't the only victims. Men are, too. People who are white, black, asian, hispanic, every race you can think of, are affected. Lesbian, gay, transgender, asexual, straight, elderly, young, every possible difference you can think of, it happens to them, too. Anyone can be a victim. Anyone can be the abuser.

Love is sitting up with my late at night, talking to me about absolutely everything from why the sky is blue to why people judge. Love is equality. Love is happiness. Love is a single act that can alter someone's day. Break the silence, end the violence. Are you willing to speak up?