Submitted by Sarah*

It was a hot day that Friday before Labor Day in 1996. My husband had been out on the stoop with the guys drinking all afternoon. As their party dragged on into the night, I went to bed.

Suddenly, I woke with my husband standing over me yelling, demanding money. I tried to answer, when he struck me with the back of his hand. I tried to scream but he began to hit me repeatedly on the head and upper body.

I saw the fan on the floor and in desperation, threw it at him. That gave me the opportunity to escape. Wearing nothing but a nightie and panties, I ran out of the apartment in the middle of the night.

Alone in the dark streets, frantic and embarrassed, I ran to where a friend worked. She called the police who came and arrested my husband. After his release, he promised it would never happen again, but fearing for myself and my daughter's (then 4 and 6) safety, I packed my bags, collected my girls and left.

After working on jobs that offered little security, I evaluated my life and decided, 'Why Not' go back to school. I did well in my studies, getting nothing but A's and B's. But money was tight during that time and I had to move from place to place.

At one time, I had to move from the room I was renting. By this time, I had sent my girls to live with my parents for a while. My husband, who had been seeking counseling, offered me a room to rent. I had reservations, but I had no where else to go, so I moved back in with him. We had separate rooms and I paid my weekly rent.

During this time, he tried to convince me to drop the charges against him. He belittled my school work and tried to get me to quit. When I refused to do either, he grabbed my textbooks and locked them up along with my other possessions and told me to get out. I left with the clothes on my back, more determined than ever to reach my goal.

When I marched in the graduation procession and received my diploma, I was overwhelmed with pride. I knew then that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to do.

I plan to go to graduate school to get my Master's in Social Work. My goal is to graduate in two years and eventually become a Psychotherapist. "I want to help people that find themselves in situations like I did. Maybe my story can be an inspiration to them. Why Not!"

* Name changed to protect privacy

National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is staffed 24 hours a day by trained counselors who can provide crisis assistance and information about shelters, legal advocacy, health care centers, and counseling. There is also a toll-free number for the hearing-impaired, 1-800-787-3224 (TDD).

To learn Personal Safety techniques, check out information about Impact Personal Safety
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