Secretiveness Can Kill

I've decided to keep this post short and to the point ... So, here it goes ...

Denying the past dooms us to repeat it. And, thus, the cycle continues. The pervasiveness of domestic violence trauma and its long lasting impact is the big secret, and survivors who try to talk about their experiences are often shamed and stigmatized. Fact is, the silencing, minimizing, and blaming that can occur when a survivor tries to tell his/her story is a whole other level of traumatization. I see visibility and conversation about trauma-related topics like domestic violence is crucial. It is why I see blogging and using social media to be an important part of my advocacy to combat domestic violence. By speaking out about trauma and its impact I hope to support those who must live with it and to educate those who do not yet understand.

I was lucky –- I pulled the plug on the cycle by leaving my abusive relationship. Of course, that didn’t stop me from having to deal with PTSD, but it certainly has kept me out of harm’s way in a practical sense.