This poem was written by a survivor who has taken part in the IDAS Power To Change programme. She has never spoken about the abuse she and her children experienced before, but wanted to share this poem.
Trigger warning
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Putting pen to paper again
Survivors poem
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sound of footsteps
a slam of the door
my heart races
(I can't take this no more)
I can't breathe my body's shaking as the fear inside me asks
Can I survive this?
Every punch, slap, kick
My body felt this
I awoke batted and bruised, but this was the day I had to do it
Till this day I'm not sure what happened
All I remember is me saying what happened
Before I knew police was involved
I thought
Oh lord what will he do now
The strength of this man I knew to be strong
The fear I felt was overwhelmed.
But the day came and I go the call
He got 16 years
I fell to the floor
I could not believe it
I felt like a butterfly
free
at
last
I cried with joy, this day I could never see
Survival mode kicked in and I had to do it
And women who are still going through it
You can do it
Speak out
Stop domestic violence
