Take the Pledge in Support of the Community of Brave Women!
Leaving a life of domestic violence is a series of moment-by-moment decisions requiring brave choices and bold actions. It can be hard to believe in ourselves when we have been beaten down by circumstance. This cause is very close to my heart and I encourage you to Take the Pledge today please!!!
I am taking the Brave Woman pledge because I was once in need of an organization like this. It was 1981, I had 4 children…three under 5. I was scared, alone, and worst of all, nobody believed me!!! Had I stayed, I believe that I would not be here to write this testimony today…it was that bad. And he probably would have gotten away with it!!! Even my family did not believe me until the children became old enough to talk about it.
He was a professional, well respected, and his father had been mayor of the town. I was the mother of four struggling to protect my children and the facade. I stayed years too long because I felt I had nowhere to go. It is a mind-control issue…abuse takes away your rational thinking and is replaced by ‘just let me keep everything perfect so he won’t blow up’ mentality. And there is no perfect in this situation or anywhere!!! Please, please do not judge a woman who stays longer than you think she should. Be there, listen and love them.
Someone you know needs this information today…trust me!
One in four women experience abuse sometime in their life. There are brave women all over the country who are gathering around other brave women who are faced with major life decisions. They have messages about overcoming the fear, picking yourself up and starting over again. If you are in an abusive relationship, please know that you are not alone…even when you feel small, unsure and maybe even terrified.
What Is Brave Woman?
Brave Woman is a grassroots movement to shift personal and public perception of women facing domestic violence situations from a victim mentality to one of courage and strength. The ultimate goal is action to create a world community that:
- Supports difficult decisions involved in creating a new life of safety, healing and independence.
- Is aware of the presence of domestic violence and its impact on families.
OUR SHARED VISION is that every woman and child will have the supportive resources they need to live without fear in their homes and see themselves as courageous victors, finally free from family violence.
We are networking with international advocates to end domestic violence one woman, one family at a time. Become a Brave Woman Champion. Take the pledge today and join other brave women in your area. Everyone who joins the Brave Woman community receives a free download of Jana Stanfield’s song, What Would I Do Today If I Were Brave and other sources of reflection and encouragement.
What Can You Do? Become an Advocate
In addition to taking the Brave Woman pledge, I urge you to speak out against violence, talk to your legislators, review the laws in your state and local municipality. Oftentimes, the laws are not strong enough to protect women and children and, in some case, are punitive.
BraveWoman.org helps women find a way out!
I encourage you to Take the Pledge today please!!!
Connect with BraveWoman on:
www.BraveWoman.org
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This is SO true! I don’t like to admit I was abused but I’m proud that I was finally brave and got out. I’m not a victim, I’m a brave woman!
Thank you for sharing your story too. It was SO difficult for me to write my post for this campaign, and to share my life. I wasn’t going to, until I read a few of the other women’s stories, and decided, hey, that’s what this is about – reading someone else’s story, and realizing others have been through the EXACT same types of things, makes you feel braver.
When you say, “abuse takes away your rational thinking and is replaced by ‘just let me keep everything perfect so he won’t blow up’ mentality” – but that no one and nothing is perfect – I feel like I could’ve written that myself. Perfectly said, and I’m sure that there are hundreds of other women who totally “get” that too.
Thanks for sharing your story – and I hope your life is filled with tons of happiness now! 🙂
I hope that so many people take the pledge to support this amazing cause!