Cry for Equity, Justice, & Peace
Donation protected
I’m asking for help. 10% of donations will go to others linked below.
This happens to women, men, children, trans, and nonbinary people. It’s deeply psychological. Victim-blaming is real. And it nearly silenced me.
I never thought I’d be here—writing this, sharing something so shameful, so deeply ingrained that I believed it was my fault. That I allowed it. That I somehow invited it.
But I didn’t. No one does.
This is a story about survival. About someone who got trapped in what looked like a dream from the outside. A relationship that made sense to everyone—charming, steady, safe. We looked perfect in public. We fit in. But behind the surface, I was being broken down—first in subtle ways that I only shared with my sisters, then best friends and roommates, then in ways that far reaching family and strangers began to notice - at missed events and cousin and in-law trips, based on my invitations, my cries for help, at my organization, and around my feelings of isolation.
Now, over a year later, it’s all being untangled through courts, lawyers, and systems that make me retell the trauma just to be believed. It’s not working and it’s impossibly draining. I’m stuck in a system.
It started long before legal paperwork or rings—on a vacation, when he stole my own sleeping med. I woke up confused, ashamed, and uncertain. I didn’t have the language for what had happened. I still moved forward with the relationship.
What followed was a pattern of emotional, financial, and sexual control. Power dynamics that escalated slowly, quietly. Mental health used as a weapon. Medical privacy violated. My HIPAA-protected records were accessed and used without my consent by his lawyer—a manipulation tactic that left me terrified and exposed.
And no—it’s not because I’m Jewish.
It’s not because I have red hair.
It’s not because I’m creative, artistic, or emotionally expressive.
It’s not because I have Crohn’s disease, IBD, or because I’ve been active in therapy.
It’s not because I’ve been diagnosed with a disordered eating 20 years ago—diagnosis that, like many, never seemed to “fit neatly” into insurance billing codes.
And it’s no, it is not because of medication side effects that *created* anxiety or psychosis. Those have long since been resolved.
I’m a normal person. ✅
I pay my bills. I say thank you too much. I say sorry too much. I try hard. I try to do good. I believed in love. I make excuses for everyone. I kept going. Like anyone would.
None of those things explain or excuse abuse. Ever.
1 in 4 women in the U.S. experience intimate partner violence. And it’s likely underreported. We’re told to keep quiet. Told to stay. Told it wasn’t that bad.
But I am done staying silent! And I am asking for your help to rebuild.
Donations will go toward more expert reports, legal fees, therapy, safe housing, and the resources I need to start over. If you’ve ever wondered how to support a survivor—this is it. Please share. Please give what you can. Please believe me.
Because I’m still here. And I am not alone.
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❤️ ✨ Share the Love: STRANGERS I Found in a Similar Spot ❤️ ✨
These are real people trying to escape abuse and rebuild. Just like me. Found through a quick search—proof that I’m not alone and neither are you.
• Kayla F. – Rebuilding after domestic violence
• Ashley P. – Helping a mother and child escape
• Katy L. – Seeking legal protection and stability
• Japheth W. – Supporting “Anna” and her two kids
• Linda P-M – Surviving violence and seeking safety
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CHILD ABUSE:
• Parental Alienation-
A little known truth about our justice system.
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FOR ALL WHO SUFFER OR SEEK TO UNDERSTAND: Resources on IPV, DV, and Survivorship
COLORADO-BASED RESOURCES:
• Rose Andom Center (Denver)
A comprehensive family justice center with legal, emotional, and housing support.
• The Initiative (serving people with disabilities)
IPV and DV services for those with visible and invisible disabilities.
• PorchLight Family Justice Center (Jefferson County)
Wraparound support in one place: legal aid, advocacy, safety planning, and more.
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U.S. NATIONAL RESOURCES:
• National Domestic Violence Hotline (24/7, confidential)
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
Help for survivors of sexual violence and incest. Includes live chat and legal info.
• WomensLaw.org
Legal information and support for all survivors, regardless of gender.
• StrongHearts Native Helpline (Indigenous-led support)
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INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT & HELPLINES:
• UN Women – Global domestic violence resources
• Domestic Shelters Worldwide Directory
Find shelters and services by country or ZIP code.
• Victim Support Europe
European network supporting victims of all crimes, including IPV.
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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: LEGAL RESOURCES (State, U.S., and International)
• Colorado Domestic Violence Laws (CO Revised Statutes)
(Search “domestic violence” in Title 18 – Criminal Code)
• U.S. Dept. of Justice – Domestic Violence Legal Info
• Legal Aid Directory (by State)
• U.S. State-by-State DV Laws (WomensLaw.org)
• International DV Law Overview (UN Women)
• Israeli Law - All Religions
Organizer
Sarah B
Organizer
Denver, CO