Fighting for Peace: A Survivor's Story

My story is one of overcoming, self-discovery, and redefining the fighter within me. Being a military veteran, I get told a lot that I am a fighter and that any person who crosses my path would be in a world of hurt. But Domestic Abuse does not discriminate; it affects all walks of life.

I stayed mostly for my daughter because I had such hope to be the change that my ex-partner needed in order to be a happy family. I didn't realize until the moment I almost lost my life at the hands of my ex-partner, that my daughter and I are enough to be a happy family of our own. My ex-partner went on a rampage after consuming some drugs and became physically violent to the point where he left me with two swollen black eyes. I was unable to see for two weeks. I felt that my life was not going to end well if I continued to stay but It takes a lot of courage to face your fears and accept the position you are in, especially when you’re experiencing trauma on an almost daily basis. I was in another state with no close friends or family nearby to help so it felt there was no way out. I started to confide in a kind stranger regarding my abuse. I did not have any money to leave but the stranger (who I now consider family) helped me escape and move back to my home state. Even though part of me was panicking, the other half felt a huge pressure lifted off my chest and I was able to finally breathe.

I thought once I physically left the situation, the struggles would all be over, but the next few years were full of obstacles of raising a daughter on my own along with having to deal with horrific threats from my ex-partner. There were times where I had almost given up hope on feeling secure and even considered whether returning was my best option. However, I knew deep down that escaping was only half the battle. I had to continue the fight to finish the war. I started researching organizations and different assistance in order to help me with the custody battles. I used every single resource that was given to me. I quickly realized that NONE of it was going to come easy, nor was anyone going to save me. I learned that I had to be relentless in my pursuit of safety, shelter, and support. And eventually my persistence paid off. I sought the assistance of an organization called AVDA and with their help I was able to get the court to grant a 15-year Protection Order and sole custody of my daughter. I have been living in peace for a few years now and looking back, I am grateful for everything I have gone through because it made me the strong, fierce woman that I am today.

I will end this with a quote that helped me not lose faith throughout the whole process:

"Even in the midst of despair, remember that hope is a flame that can ignite a wildfire of resilience within your soul."