Today is going to be a serious talk, because it is a very serious subject. Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past month, I’m sure you’ve heard of NFL football player Ray Rice knocking his then-fiancé unconscious in an elevator and dragging out her limp body.

Now the couple is married, leaving a majority of Americans asking, “WHY?” Why would she stay?

Growing up in an abusive home, I remember witnessing my stepfather beat my mother. My mother was handicapped! And yes, I remember the pain of being kicked in the ribs, and the physical pain of abuse.

But I can honestly tell you from experience, the worst part of abuse is not the physical wounds. Those heal. It is the memories of seeing my sisters and mother abused. It is the psychological damage inflicted by someone you love and you think loves you, doing and saying horrible, nightmarish things.

At the time I thought this man was my actual father! My sisters and I would beg my mother to leave and she would say, “Who will take care of us? Who will love us? He loves us.” THIS was love?

I’m not alone… 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence during their lifetime. And plenty of men experience it, as well!

But it is sickening that it takes a viral video of assault before people even start talking about this huge issue in our country.

Last week on The Dani Johnson Show a caller named Bane spoke with me about how the media puts the focus on the wrong side of this issue. “Everywhere you look people are asking what the NFL is going to do about this issue. Nobody is asking what this woman is going through.”

And he is so right! People have now taken to Twitter using the #WhyIStayed. One user shared, “#WhyIStayed Because he isolated me from friends and family and I had no one to turn to when the abuse started.” ~ Twitter user @grim_mandy

It’s a heartbreaking issue that so many men and women deal with secretly, out of fear, guilt and shame. It takes COURAGE to step up and talk about abuse. Hiding the problem doesn’t fix it, the nation needs to step up and create a safe environment for these people to talk about it and get support.

Have you experienced abuse or know someone who has? What was the reason for staying? Let this be a safe place for you and everyone to take care of each other! Leave me your stories, your comments and be sure to Like and Share today’s important message. Together, let’s put a stop to silently accepting this type of behavior in our society. Let’s lend a hand to those who are still healing from their wounds and help them move past it!

Are you looking for support? Join us and come chat on The Dani Johnson Show today at 12 pm ET/11 pm CT. You can tune into the show on either your TV or radio and please remember you can always stream today’s show right on our website.

In great faith,

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