Tell a Gal Pal: Raise Money For Domestic Violence Surviors: My Story

I want all of you to know that the only reason I posted this is to bring awareness to the issue of Domestic Violence.  All too often we forget how important our words can be in helping someone we don’t even know through a difficult time in their life…if my words can help even one person then they were worth the painful memories that sharing them dredged up!

I don’t often tell people this, but several years ago I was in an abusive relationship.  Most people seem to treat being abused as a dirty secret, I know I did, we’re afraid to tell for fear of what will happen to us if we do and we’re afraid to run because we know what will happen when they find us.  Honestly, not telling anyone that I was being abused was the biggest mistake that I made, not telling kept me prisoner in my own home for 3 years…3 years that I can never get back and that I will never forget.  Almost every day for 3 years I was afraid; afraid to make the wrong move, say the wrong thing, or wear the wrong clothes…I lived like a scared little child, a child with a secret that was bigger than she was.  That secret paralyzed me and consumed my every thought, that secret let him hit me, punch me, hold me down on the ground, throw me into walls (while pregnant with his child), push me down stairs (for which I received one of several concussions at his hands), wrap telephone cords around my neck…and on and on and on.  My reason for sharing my story is not to garner sympathy or to be treated like a victim…my reason is to spread awareness about Domestic Violence and tell you how you can help!

Scary Statistics

*  Every day 3 women in the US die as the result of domestic violence.

*  More than 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in her life.

*  Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans know someone who is or has been a victim.

*  Only 54 percent of Americans have talked to a friend about domestic violence, and only 56 percent would know what to do to help a victim of domestic violence.

You CAN help…Tell a Gal Pal to:

*  Talk openly about domestic violence. Tell your Gal Pals – whether it’s your best friend, sister, mother, daughter, niece, cousin or neighbor – to face domestic violence, share their opinions and experiences and show support for survivors.

*  Speak out against domestic violence when you see it. Call the police or National Domestic Violence Hotline to report domestic violence in your community – you could help save a life.

*  Visit ClickToEmpower.org for easy ways start the conversation, check out resources for survivors or read inspirational survivor stories.

*  You can also show your support for domestic violence survivors by volunteering at or donating items to your local domestic violence shelter. Contact your state domestic violence coalition for more information. Click here for a complete list of state coalitions.

You can also help out and raise money for domestic violence survivors by clicking “Like” on the Click to Empower! Facebook Page.  For each person who “likes” Click to Empower! on Facebook The Allstate Foundation will donate $1 to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (up to $20,000).  The Allstate Foundation will donate another $1 if you take the pledge to Tell a Gal Pal about domestic violence. As part of the pledge, your photo will be added to the “Faces of Support” gallery to show survivors that they aren’t facing domestic violence alone.

So please, Tell a Gal Pal and visit the Click to Empower page on Facebook to help educate others and help survivors of domestic violence, because silence can truly be deadly!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in The Allstate Foundation’s Tell a Gal Pal blogging program with TwitterMoms, making me eligible to get an interview with Cheryl Burke. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”