Raven

She reconnected with someone she had known at school and spent five years in a relationship with him. At first he was kind. Gradually, that changed into screaming, throwing things and kicking her dog.

One night, after her phone battery had died at work, a small incident while she was closing the blinds led to another outburst. He called her worthless and selfish, said nobody could love her and told her she should kill herself. She cried on the floor by the door while he slept.

Leaving was difficult after years of being told she was unlovable. Afterwards, he said he had treated her like a queen and that she had blindsided him. She was accused of ruining his life, and her parents were blamed too.

Loud noises and raised voices made her flinch. She felt she had lost herself. Since leaving, she has begun finding herself again: outspoken, hardworking and someone who loves animals. She is no longer angry with herself for staying. She wants other women to know they can speak about what happened and survive it.