Domestic violence survivors and how they made it out of their relationship alive

In today’s societ

y an average of 1 and 4 woman are in domestic violence relationships with someone they’ve been intimate with. Based on the national statistics only 34% of people who are injured by intimate partners receive medical care for their injuries.

Gigi is a working educated single professional and a mother of a ten-year-old son living in Atlanta, GA. London was in a relationship with her former boyfriend for five years before the domestic violence started to partake.

“Never in a million years did I ever think I would be telling my story, it’s something I kept

bottled in until now” said London.

When asked how it started, she said her former boyfriend would get drink and just take his frustrations out on her when he would come home from the local bar or if he felt like something didn’t go his way.

London said while she was pregnant and after she gave birth it had gotten worse in less than a six-month time period. Gigi suffered several fractured fingers and numerous of black eyes that she covered up with makeup to hide her battle wounds from her family and friends.

Women can stay in an abusive relationship for numerous reasons that are sometimes left unexplained. The could be scared of moving on, have financial obligations, their beliefs could make them stay as well. Victims minimize the violence which often leads to them being in denial of what type of abuse they are dealing with.

If you are in an abusive relations here are a few facts that you should know:

Usually, abuse takes place behind closed doors.

Abusers deny their actions.Abusers blame the victim.

Violence is preceded by verbal abuse.

Abuse damages your self-esteem.

The abuser needs to be right and in control.

The abuser is possessive and may try to isolate their partner from friends and family.

The abuser is hypersensitive and may react with rage.

A gun in the house increases the risk of homicide by 500 percent.

Two-thirds of domestic violence perpetrators have been drinking.

If you know anyone who is suffering from abuse have them contact the domestic violence hotline at: 1−800−799−7233