It’s been over 10 years since Shantel Johnson had to get facial reconstructive surgery for her left eye. She recalled the moment the final hit from her ex-boyfriend brought her to her knees.
“It really felt like all of what's inside of me left me,” Johnson said. “I was in so much pain. I was just trying to keep myself together.”
It happened at her Corn Hill residence. Johnson said she was getting ready for work, while the man was in her home. She said he began taunting her.
“At that point, I just really was standing up for myself,” Johnson said.
She said the third blow he delivered left her bleeding with her eye swollen shut.
Having to face her family and loved ones in that condition was almost unbearable, she said.
“There's all kinds of guilt, shame, pity, embarrassment,” she said. “It's not just the violence that you're dealing with, but all of these other thoughts, emotions and processes that surround it all.”
Johnson said she’s thankful for the friends and family who helped her “to keep going and pushing through."
When someone is dealing with domestic violence, support from loved ones becomes part of the healing process. That’s the message that Willow Domestic Violence Center is emphasizing during October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“We all have this idea that we don't want to get involved in somebody else's business, but when somebody else's business is domestic violence happening in their home, there's a safety risk to that family that could be severe,” said Meaghan de Chateauvieux, Willow's president and CEO.
When violence occurs in the home, it can spill out into the streets and become a public issue, de Chateauvieux said. She added that relatives and friends should lead with understanding and care when a survivor is coming forward.
“Don't close the door,” she said. “Stay there. Be open. Be that support person for them in those moments when they are ready to make that move.”
Willow reports that each year, more than 13,000 people call their hotline for support.
If you or someone you love is dealing with domestic violence, contact Willow Domestic Violence Center for additional support and resources.
