SPEAK YOUR

TRUTH

NOW COLLECTING
The True Experiences of Emotionally Abused Women

(women helping women)

BREAK THE SILENCE

Hello Dear Ones!
I have heard so many heart breaking, fist shaking, tear jerking stories from women of emotional abuse. It is also heart wrenching to hear women say no one believes them.

I BELIEVE YOU !!!

You are not crazy, you are not stupid, and you
certainly do not have a personality disorder!
You KNOW what you experienced and I want you to be able to
SPEAK YOUR TRUTH with as much conviction as the abuser had when telling all those lies about you.

SHARE YOUR STORY

(keep scrolling down to submit)

THE VISION

The hope is that a book made from the collection of all these true stories, will one day help people understand what living in this type of toxic relationship is really like.
Right now we spend time, energy, and tears trying to get our family and friends to understand the serious, heinous, crazy-making behaviors we have been subjected to. But they don't get it, and we just end up frustratrated and hurt by their lack of empathy.
But what if you could just hand them a book and say, "Read this. This is a book about women just like me. What I have endured is written in these pages. Please read this, and try to understand." That is our vision.
And you can submit as many stories as you want!

NET PROFITS from the book sales will go to help women safely escape, receive legal aid, hire therapists, secure medical insurance, provide temporary housing, etc.

It's all good! (Crazy Good!) And YOU get to be a part of helping these women by sharing your stories.

How To Submit Your Story

It's really easy to submit your truth!

(ALL stories will be written by Anonymous)

Browse the section descriptions and questions below to help you decide what you want to write about. You may have more than one you'd like to share- go ahead! But you can only submit one at a time.
Scroll down to the submission page.
Provide a name and email (Niether will be disclosed, this is only needed for sake of the agreement.)
Check the box for which section you are submitting your story for. (One submission at a time)
Write, or copy/paste your story in the box.
Check the boxes stating your agree with the submission terms.
Click the Submit Your Story button - that's it!

By submitting your story you are agreeing to the Story Submission Agreement shown below.

1. HONEYMOON CHARADES:

This section is all about the lovebombing that took place early in the relationship, or as part of the repeated cycle of abuse over your years of marriage. It's the hook of bliss before the stuff hits the fan. They praise you and spend a lot of time with you, and then guilt and shame you for spending any time with others. What ridiculous lengths did your abuser love bomb you? What was the most unbelievable actions that took place during this stage of the abuse?

2. JEKYLL & HYDE WHIPLASH:

All of a sudden Mr. Charming begins acting like Mr. Jerk. Tensions begin to increase and you do not even know why They are acting irritated, complaining more and start acting out. During this devaluation phase you are put down and degraded in every way imaginable. This includes invalidating your emotions, minimizing your accomplishments, criticzing you, The will start dropping subtle hints that you've done something wrong, that you’ve forgotten something important, or that you've hurt their feelings. Or they may withhold affection, throw up a stone wall and give you a silent treatment for days, weeks, or take off entirely This is where all the crazy starts to happen.

Do you have some examples of the weirdest, cruelest, incredibly stupid ways your abuser tried to control and manipulate you at this stage? What were the things they would do to try to get a good or bad reaction out of you? What petty things did they do to irritate you? What lies did they tell to excite you? How did they keep trying to prove to you that you were not enough and the crazy one?

3. THE MONSTER UNLEASHED:

This is peak of the abusive stage. Now they are in the full rage mode. Some how you offended them and they now have to get event. There's yelling, screaming, accusing and calling you names. Lying and denying about what you know to be true. Threats of taking away things you care about, calling the police, promises of self harm. All to keep you in a place of fear, guilt, and worthlessness. Though it is hard to revisit these ugliest times, your stories could serve as valuable warnings to others and possibly keep them from harm, so be brave.

What made you scared the most? Were you one of many women whose abuser got law enforcement involved to accuse YOU of being the abuser? How did that happen? Did they play the victim and file restraining orders against YOU? What events were you involved in that would have been hard for you to believe if it hadn't happened to you?

4. THE RUBBERBANDED TRAUMA BOND:

At some point we all try to get away. There is a saying "He loved me the most when I had one foot out the door". They will try everything to keep you from leaving. They will cry, and generically apologize, profess all the loving things you want to hear. They may physically pin you down, lock you in a room, or latch on to your legs like a child and beg you not to go. Sometimes we make it out. Sometimes we can't stay away. What acts of physical coercion, controlling lockdowns, threats of harm or promises of change were you subjected to in order to keep you from leaving? What was wrong with the promises they tried to make? Why did you finally decide to leave? How did you finally escape? Why did you go back...and did you go back more than once?

5. DARVO & ABUSE AFTER LEAVING:

If you are lucky enough to break away for good, you still find the abuse continues. DARVO describes abusers method to DENY their actions ATTACK their target REVERSE VICTIM and OFFENDER. After all you have been through, there is now a smear compaign against you to face. After a lifetime of loving this person the betray is shattering, and the fact others believe him heart breaking.

What lies did your abuser tell your family, friends, and neighbors about you? Did they turn your children against you with lies? Were you further harmed when you asked for help by friends, family, pastors, therapists?

6. LOOKING BACK: WHO WAS THAT GUY?

When looking back we often can see so many things we wished we had recognized as the signs that we were not dealing with a mentally healthy individual. Immature childish behaviors. Redflags of jealousy, possessiveness, no accountability for their actions, rebuttals that didn't make any sense. That false charming and jovial persona that they projected to the world of outsiders only. Their obsession with appearances.

What do you see when you look back that you wish you had realized how toxic that behavior was to your relationship? What insecurities did you see? What rules didn't apply to them?

7. MESSAGES OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Hopefully you are now at a place where you are looking forward with a smile on your face and heart filled with hope! You now are experiencing the rewards of freedom from all the abuse!!

What would you tell your past self, your daughter, or another young woman that would be encouraging and help her resist entering or staying in an abusive relationship?

Can you share how a brief description of what it feels like now to be free from the abuse that would give hope to a woman who is still working through the trauma of leaving?

What parting words would you like to kindly impress on the confused family and friends who have just read this book?

Thank you SO MUCH for your courage and submitting your stories of truth!

Please know that you did NOT deserve how you were treated!

I hope that submitting your story helped to affirm your personal validation that you were NOT going crazy or imagining the dynamics of abuse. That it DID happen just as you remembered it.

It will be an honor to share your experiences with others! Your experiences will help all women see the seriousness of the consequences of minimizing events in a relationship that just doesn't 'seem right', I pray our book will also give family and friends of those abused the ability to open their heart and accept another woman's story as the truth, and support her with open arms.

So again, from the bottom of my heart – thank you Dear Ones!

Hugs and Many Blessings!

Shelly Mae