Overcoming Domestic Violence: Beware of Enemies Attacks

​Two weeks ago I started this blog site to share my experience in overcoming domestic violence. Since then, the attacks against my family and me include:

• Within hours of activating this blog, I slid down stairs and fractured my heel bone
• The water heater stopped working
• A car hit my 4-year-old dog

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How to Heal - Recovering from Domestic Abuse

As I sit here in the veterinarian emergency room, listening to plans for surgery for my dog and her overnight stays in an animal hospital, my determination strengthens. Call me determined before my blog site started to share and learn about the struggles when transitioning from domestic violence victim to survivor, well now I am REALLY, REALLY DETERMINED to continue this dialog.
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I am reminded though that this isn’t the first time that the devil has attacked me when I stood up for what I felt was right. Similar, but less dramatic, things also happened when I:

• Began developing a safety plan
• Started developing boundaries
• Started planning my departure from my abuser
• Stopped being co-dependent
• Attempted to think on my own
• Started making decisions on my own

Beware of Enemy Attacks
Given that the devil’s main objective is to create distractions and take us off of our course, this kind of retaliation is probably what we should expect. I should expect resistance from the devil for attempting to do the right thing. It’s how my abuser would react; my abuser isn’t accepting of my personal growth, and neither is the negative force countering my attempt for me to transition to a domestic violence survivor.

•  Later in my journey, I began to realize that these attacks are indications that I am doing the right thing and I should continue on my course; but early on, the attacks distracted me and took me off my plan almost immediately. Even last week, as I was waiting to see the doctor to see if I needed surgery, I contemplated on whether I should stop this blog. I thought long and hard about my motive and my heart.  It took me years to get stronger in my fight against these attacks and yet as they are occurring, I am as vulnerable as a beginner.

• Yes, years later I am stronger in my processing of these attacks. But no matter how mature I become in processing life’s events, I am not immune to the attacks. Stand up for what I think is right, and I will always face resistance. Initially, it was resistance from my abuser; now it’s resistance from my abuser’s sidekick, the devil himself.

My gut says we continue with this blog site. The number of people who have visited this site in the past 13 days leads me to believe there are other people interested in keeping this discussion open.