After her partner tried to kill her, this woman shared her powerful story on Facebook.
A survivor of domestic violence shares her story through powerful song.
TRIGGER WARNING: Domestic violence, including images.
Darrian Amaker is a singer, photographer, and writer — and now she's also a survivor.
Amaker created a video and wrote a post that she shared on the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence's Facebook page, in which she detailed a horrific domestic violence incident at the hands of her partner.
She began:
"A few days after thanksgiving this past year, my Love went straight psychotic and beat me brutally for ten hours. He had planned it out; I was supposed to die. I survived or escaped, whatever you want to call it, and spent four days in the hospital, eyes swollen shut, wondering why, wondering why."
Amaker wrote a song and recorded herself from her hospital bed while she was still recovering.
"I don't generally record videos of myself but it was the only thing I wanted to do in the hospital," she explained. "I insisted — it felt important and a small triumph to make something, salvage anything from my shipwrecked heart."
Hit "play" on the video to hear her beautiful song:
While Amaker says she is physically safe now — she explains that her former partner was indicted for six felonies and faces a lengthy prison sentence — she notes that she's different, both physically and mentally. In addition to the injuries to the bones in her face, which she says is half an inch wider now, "[f]or the first time I have brushed up against an inhuman story and am deeply shaken."
In a followup post, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence wrote, "Too often in our culture, violence against women is not understood. These brave victims and survivors are bringing a new level of awareness — using technology and social media to help us understand their lives and share their experiences."
Listening to stories like Amaker's is important because there are many misconceptions about domestic violence.
Consider a few key points: There is no one "type" of domestic violence victim or survivor — it can happen to anyone (including men). Abuse and violence are always the fault of the person perpetrating them. And ending domestic violence isn't as simple as picking up and leaving the relationship.
"Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence. There is NO 'typical victim.' Victims of domestic violence come from all walks of life, varying age groups, all backgrounds, all communities, all education levels, all economic levels, all cultures, all ethnicities, all religions, all abilities, and all lifestyles.
Victims of domestic violence do not bring violence upon themselves, they do not always lack self-confidence, nor are they just as abusive as the abuser. Violence in relationships occurs when one person feels entitled to power and control over their partner and chooses to use abuse to gain and maintain that control...
...leaving an abuser is the most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence. One study found in interviews with men who have killed their wives that either threats of separation by their partner or actual separations were most often the precipitating events that lead to the murder."
The final few lines in Amaker's post are words to remember:
"Domestic violence is not a faraway issue. It affects people you know, cheerful people, people who sing, people who love. We the humans must be better, kinder, stronger. We the loving must not tolerate abuse. We the living must facilitate life."
Woman in denim jacket covers face with sleeve, standing outdoors with blurred background.
Woman with outstretched arms in a sunlit field, enjoying the outdoors.
Lush forest with vibrant green and orange foliage in soft, misty sunlight.
Friends laughing and drinking coffee at a cozy cafe table.
Woman with curly hair in sunlight, eyes closed, wearing a purple top.
Man smiling with hand over face, standing outdoors against a blue sky background.
Hand painting a still life on canvas with blue and orange tones.
Woman sitting on a chair in the water, writing in a notebook at sunset.
Happy Girl GIF by RetMod 
Woman enjoying some self care time.
Women walking down a street.Image via Canva Photos. 
Woman aware of her surroundings in a parking garage. Image via Canva Photos.
"You're hilariously brilliant at everything you hate." 
"Bridget is authentically herself…and triumphs in her own way." 
"They're written in some curious language that I can't really understand."