Introduction

Hello everyone. My name is Amanda. I am a proud single mother to a beautiful baby girl. I am a KC-135 Crew Chief (Airplane Mechanic) in the Unites States Air Force. I am an aspiring singer/songwriter. I am not a victim. I survived domestic violence and sexual assault.

First, before we begin, I want to speak to those who are currently experiencing abuse. I want you to do three things: One, if you are comfortable, ready, and can go without your perpetrator knowing, go to a Domestic Violence Shelter  in your area. This is not a homeless shelter, although they do provide housing for those who need to get away from their perpetrator. The shelters provide numerous FREE resources and counseling. Even if you don’t want or plan on leaving your perpetrator, talking to someone who will be understanding and will not judge you is a good step. Second, I highly recommend you read, “Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men” by Lundy Bancroft. This book changed my life, but more on that later. Third, I want you to close your eyes and repeat after me, “I am strong. I am beautiful. I am worthy of love and a life free of abuse. I am not broken, filthy, weak, pathetic, or hopeless. I love myself for who I am, no matter what I’ve experienced”.

Before I begin telling my story, I want to first explain that this blog’s sole intent is to help others who are going through any type of abuse, but specifically physical, sexual, emotional, and verbal. My hope is that through sharing my experiences, someone can find the support, resources, steps, and a friend they can use to get through their abuse. I do not intend to be vindictive or to retaliate against my perpetrator or his family. For this reason, I will not use names, locations, or any other detail that would single him out. I’m putting myself in a vulnerable situation, giving my personal experiences to the world, but if I can help save at least one person, then it is all worth it.

If you choose to follow my blog, which I really hope you do, my plan is to talk about specific experiences I had from sexual assault and domestic violence, how I decided to leave my abuser, the many resources I’ve used to heal, and stories of other women who’ve given me permission to share their experiences. I hope you, whether you are a victim, know a victim, or not, know that I am open to any questions, and am here for your support. Please consider me your friend as you journey along with me over the next few weeks as I tell you my story.

Feel free to share on any social media site you see fit to spread the word so more victims can hear my story.

Amanda