Last Friday, CLUES hosted a special event to talk about Domestic Violence. We were honored to be joined by Megan, who shared her story of surviving and starting over after an abusive relationship.

Today we’re excited to share Megan’s story with you, and we hope you are as inspired by her strength and hopeful spirit as we are. A very special thanks to Megan for having the courage to share her experience with us to help encourage others like her to get the help they need.

“It started out like any normal, healthy relationship. He paid for our first date, was extremely handsome and loved talking as much as I do,” Megan said. “It seemed we could do anything together and have a blast. Needless to say, we hit it off and became close very quickly.”

She never imagined that this honeymoon feeling would turn in a nightmare. “I was in a relationship with a physically, emotionally and sexually abusive man for two years. I was choked, beaten, thrown into walls, sexually assaulted and made to feel completely worthless. The mistreatment felt so wrong, but my learned ability to forgive trumped all my instinctive feelings. But his abuse just escalated from there and got worse.”

The data reflects that:

• 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.
• Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.
• The presence of a gun in the home during a domestic violence incident increases the risk of homicide by at least 500%.
• 72% of all murder-suicides involved an intimate partner; 94% of the victims of these crimes are female.

“In time, I became increasingly aware of the fact that he seriously injured me multiple times and those serious injuries were what ultimately made me want to leave. When I saw he could hurt me that badly, I knew he would, without a doubt, end up killing me if I stayed,” explained Megan. “In the end, I think what made my final decision to leave permanently is because my life was threatened.”

“My message to women out there who are struggling: Look for help,” said Megan. The data reflects that on a typical day, domestic violence hotlines receive a total of approximately 21,000 calls – 15 calls per minute.

Fear should never be part of a relationship

“I was afraid a lot of the time in our relationship—afraid he’d hurt me or himself, afraid to speak up, afraid to call a friend or my family, afraid to say “no” to him for sex. Finding someone to talk with is vitally important. You are not alone.”

“Each time I talk about my experience, I am beyond grateful to have come out of this situation alive and to have had the support system that has allowed me to not return to the abuse, something that not all survivors have. By sharing my story with others, I hope to help people become more aware of what domestic abuse is like for a victim, but also to give support and inspiration to those living in an abusive situation.”

Thank you, Megan, for openly talking about your experience. You are an incredibly brave and fierce advocate for women! You can follow her and learn more about her story in her blog.

Do You Need Help?

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse and these signs are all too familiar, know that what's happening to you is not your fault. You are not alone, and help is available. Call our 24-hour, free & confidential Crisis Line at 612-746-3537 for immediate assistance with one of our Survivor Advocates.

CLUES can help you through:

• Support to obtain a Protection Order and/or file a police report
• Support groups
• Orientation, support, education and navigation
• Help with community resources
• Developing a security plan
• Education about your rights as a victim of domestic violence/sexual assault