You see him for the first time, your heart melts, stomach filled with butterflies, you can barely think or speak when your around him, until you fully get to know the monster behind the mask.

For 3 years he made me feel stuck, helpless unable to accomplish anything. You may think to yourself, “why not leave?” “Why stay?” When you get so comfortable, change is hard no matter what the circumstance is. I was verbally, mentally and physically abused for years, until I was sick of being cheated on, lied to, manipulated in feeling like everything was my fault. He was a bad alcoholic, he would come home from work drunk, yelling at me to make his food, calling me all kinds of names and telling me to stop being a lazy sack of shit. I worked my butt off everyday as well as going to school, I worked hard for everything I earned so one day I might be successful in life. I did not need some man telling me what to do. At the time, I was stupid and young and didn’t know how to leave, didn’t know what to do. As the years go by I started taking classes on abuse and how to handle it, how to overcome this monster I am living with. It made me realize it’s time for me to stand up for myself, its time for me to move on with my life. I’m done being trapped, I want to start a new beginning. I began to take boxing classes, learning how to defend myself. Let me tell you, best decision of my life! I am no longer this weak woman who doesn’t know how to fight back. This night it all ended for me. He came home drunk, upset his laundry wasn’t done, I saw the anger, the flame in his eyes. He came straight at me grabbed my hair and threw me against the wall so hard it left a hole. He walked away as if nothing even happened. I quickly got to my phone and called 911 and told them I was in danger and I hung up the phone. I thought to myself, “I’M DONE!” I looked at him straight in the face, and punched him as hard as I could, it knocked him out cold. It felt so good that I finally am free. Police arrived at the scene and could already tell what happened, they told me good for you and took him away in cuffs. I never saw of him again.

I now have an amazing husband who loves me, respects me, and treats me the way I deserve. I am so thankful for the decision I made to stand up for myself, for in doing so I would not be where I am today.