This month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is important to bring awareness to others so that they can understand how domestic violence can truly affect people's lives in a major way. I am very passionate about this subject and feel it's my job to get the message out to the community. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States, more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. ("Violence Against Women, A Majority Staff Report," Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, 102nd Congress, October 1992, pg. 3). Most female and male victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner (69% of female victims; 53% male victims) experienced some form of intimate partner violence for the first time before 25 years of age, according to the "National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey 2010 Summary Report". I, Kitty Robinson, am a survivor of domestic violence which started at the age of 17. My abuser was a high school boyfriend who was physically and emotionally abusive towards me. He wanted to isolate me from my friends and family and tried to control my life. Just imagine being in high school abused by your boyfriend. At that time, I didn't turn to anyone until he became more violent. When I finally broke up with him, he started stalking me and my parents had to get the police involved. He was the first person(romantically) that ever hit me but not the last. I have experienced physical, emotional and mental abuse from past romantic relationships. Yea, me-which is probably hard to believe but that's the thing. Domestic violence does not have a face, name or race; it could happen to anyone and that anyone was me. At the age of 17, I was lonely and confused looking for someone to love me. I already felt out of place in my own skin due to being raised in a town with a lack of racial diversity. I wanted to fit in and be accepted by others. All my friends had boyfriends and knew what that experienced was like, then you had me, the little black girl that could only listen to what those experiences were like. So, you can imagine what happened when my abuser moved to town. He was cute and different and I wanted to know more about him. I couldn't believe there was a guy that looked like me in my school and that was the beginning, the starting point of domestic violence for me. Later in life I was saved through self-discovery. You see, I always had something special that GOD instilled in me but others tried to make me believe otherwise. When I connected with my true authentic self, I realized my power. We all have power within. Don't let verbal, mental and physical abuse keep you from your purpose, your journey! Don't allow feelings of loneliness drive you into the arms of someone not worthy to be in your life!

Stay Blessed

Kitty Robinson LPC