“This was someone I let into my heart, my home, and around my son.”

I met this guy who seemed like a southern gentleman, and he made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. It truly seemed like a dream come true.

Until it all changed in the blink of an eye. One night, he was going through my messages on my phone without my consent.

When I asked what he was doing and why, his demeanor and tone changed. He turned into a completely different person.

He gets in my face and says, ‘You need to delete all social media right now. You’re not allowed to talk to anybody.’

I was in shock. I wasn’t sure how to respond and said, ‘You need to pack your stuff and leave.’ I wanted to defuse the situation before it got any worse.

Over the next couple of days, we talked on and off. One moment the conversation would be, ‘I’m so sorry, I’ll change,’ and the next he would say, ‘You’re a whore, you’re a slut.”

It only got worse from there. It started with a property complaint, and two officers showed up.

I got a restraining order. That made him even more mad. He told me to watch out because he had connections that would come after me.

He was also texting my family members and reaching out to my friends on Facebook, saying none of this was his fault. He placed all the blame on me.

He got ahold of my child’s father. They collaborated to file an emergency protective removal order, trying to take my son away from me.

We had to go to court multiple times, and everything got dismissed. The judge ordered my abuser to get help and mandated he take classes.

I still can’t say I feel safe, but it does get better. My chapter ends with my advocates staying by my side and guiding me through all of this.

I hope that my story will help just one person. What scares me the most is the unknown and the thought of this happening to somebody else.

I want to share my story. The more we talk about our experiences and share our stories, the more we get to spread awareness.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reach out before it’s too late.

This is only part of Shannon’s story, in her own words, shared with permission.