Jan 31, 20202 min read

Voiceless

Trigger Warning.

According to the CDC, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience physical violence by their intimate partner at some point during their lifetimes. About 1 in 3 women and nearly 1 in 6 men experience some form of sexual violence during their lifetimes...

On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of one year...

I started growing tired of the news. The spouses that go missing...the women found beaten down. I hear stories from clients of how they're trying to find themselves again, how they're trying to find their voice. It feels as though many of the women that come to me are learning to love themselves due to someone else bringing them down, most of them being their own partners.They've been broken down mentally and physically. They've been beaten and bruised.

With that many people being affected, why don't we hear it from the people closest to us and why do we only hear it only when it's too late.

"They seemed so perfect..." "He seemed so nice."

I've decided to start this project to bring awareness to those still fighting and help give strength to break the silence. Let this start a conversation today.

Share this in hopes of helping others find their courage. We are strong together.

My name is Chloe,

This story is not something I ever planned to share.

For a long time I knew I was stuck in an abusive relationship. But when my brother passed away in an accident, I felt I couldn’t go through a breakup. So, I stayed for years, clinging to whatever I could rather than being alone.

I alienated myself from friends and family. And things just got worse. I felt more paralyzed and trapped. I made excuses so I wouldn’t have to face reality. Finally, when I ended up with a black eye I decided I wasn’t going to hide. I have never felt more relieved than the day I walked away from that situation.

I took pictures at the time to remind myself why I would never go back.

These new pictures show just how far I have come in a year. I haven’t shared this before because I was afraid to be seen as weak. But I have learned to not to be afraid of vulnerability. Leaving my photoshoot with Hannah I found myself feeling more confident and stronger than ever before. I hope that this story is valuable to anyone who feels like they can’t reach out for support when they need it most.

To any person who feels voiceless, I hope you find strength in this story and know that things can get better.