Twelve years ago, someone told me I was too stupid to do anything on my own. Last night, I proved him wrong with a 42-page instruction manual and a vanity that’s now standing in my daughter’s room.
Now, I know some of you might be wondering what on earth that has to do with surviving domestic violence. Well, grab your comfiest chair and settle in for a story. My abuser, let’s call him John (nope, not his real name, lol), had a habit of tearing me down in ways that left scars you can’t see. He would ridicule me, speak to me with contempt, and call me names like “dumb bitch” and “idiot.” He’d tell me I couldn’t do things because I was “too stupid.” The irony? At the time, I was making four times his salary as a teacher’s aide… and he had no problem stealing from me and living off my income. But that’s a story for another day.
Now, I know some of you might be wondering what on earth that has to do with surviving domestic violence. Well, grab your comfiest chair and settle in for a story. My abuser, let’s call him John (nope, not his real name, lol), had a habit of tearing me down in ways that left scars you can’t see. He would ridicule me, speak to me with contempt, and call me names like “dumb bitch” and “idiot.” He’d tell me I couldn’t do things because I was “too stupid.” The irony? At the time, I was making four times his salary as a teacher’s aide… and he had no problem stealing from me and living off my income. But that’s a story for another day.