To the girl who was/is being abused...
First of all I want you to know that you are very far from being alone!
You are probably thinking "Should I tell someone?", "Should I tell my family?", and my answer to you is YES! Do not be ashamed to tell anyone that you are being physically, emotionally abused or controlled. I was once in your shoes, and I questioned telling anyone.
I hid it from my best friend and parents for almost a year. I had many emergency room visits. So my family sort of knew. But I did not want to come out and tell them. I stayed with him for almost a year, and it was the worst year of my life.
So please come out and tell someone, because you will never know where it could lead you. I was very lucky and got out. I drove 200 miles in little over an hour. I hit rock bottom though. I wound up impatient at a psychiatric hospital, but I was not ashamed. I got the help I needed and most importantly I came clean to my family. I told my friends and everyone what happened, and to my surprise everyone already knew! They were just waiting on me to come out and say it and, ask for help because they didn't want me hurt any worse.
In the hospital everyone was very supportive and helped me be okay with talking about it. I also learned a lot about myself. I learned you will never fully be over it. You will just switch your mind set from victim to survivor. I hate the word victim, because that means you let something happen to you and by no means did you let him hurt or control you. A friend mentioned to me that I am a survivor. When she said that everything made sense. When you change your mind set then you may begin to heal. But always thinking that you will get over it just will lead to disappointment. Some might get over it and but most of us like myself will just be okay with it. I am now okay admitting that I am a domestic violence survivor. I am okay with talking about what happened and answering questions. I am now okay with talking to mutual friends and his family.
So by me writing this it is my hope that you will know that you are not alone and that you will never fully get over it but you will come to terms with it and most importantly its over and you will be okay!
-Signed a fellow SURVIVOR!
