There is a Rainbow after the Storm

 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and we are sharing powerful stories from current and former SafeHouse clients. 

*Warning* Some of the stories we will share this month do contain details of violence, sexual assault, and/or child abuse. Identifying information may have been removed or changed to protect confidentially. 

"The best thing I did for myself was leave my abuser. After 1 year and several near death experiences, I finally had the courage December of 2019. The next day a girl in our community was shot dead by her abuser. I thank God everyday that was not me and easily could have been me. What helped me the most was my faith in God and regaining the community I lost or was not allowed to have. I changed everywhere I went including my gym and church, mostly for safety reasons, but found the change was good and helped me grow. I sought out activities that helped me become stronger mentally and physically including cross-fit & learning how to shoot a gun. These activities empowered me and gave me peace of mind. At the end of the day a restraining order did not help me and the justice system is broken, so I knew I needed to protect myself. Finally I have a career as a Behavior Analyst, so I found educating myself on abusive relationships helped me to see who my abuser really was and predict his behavior. 

The joy I have found after I made the decision for MYSELF to leave has truly been immeasurable. There is a rainbow after the storm, I promise."