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No one asked her what happened. No one did anything for her. And so, he struck again.
What an incredibly painful story. But thank goodness she's strong enough to share it.
12.24.14
In November 2014, actress Teri Hatcher spoke at the U.N. to help commemorate the International Day to End Violence against Women.
Her speech was heartbreaking, moving, and an irrefutable call to arms:
<span class="redactor-invisible-space"></span>The one part of Teri's speech that was particularly inspiring came towards the end (emphasis added):
"I am simply one of three women who is forced to accept violence as a part of their life story. I am one of three women who for the rest of her life battles the voice in her head that accepts blame for abuse, a voice that is antithetical to self-esteem, self-worth, and happiness.
This is a statistic that has to change. One in three women can no longer have to face a stigma and a fear that prevent them from seeking help. One in three women should NOT feel afraid to come forward and report it, as they so often do, because they think they will not be believed or taken seriously. When society shames the victim by asking, 'Why did you stay?' or 'Why didn't you say something?' instead of asking, 'Why did HE abuse her?' we just continue to foster a society where the abusers continue to abuse. That one in three woman could be your mother, your daughter, or your sister. It is unacceptable to not actively and passionately work to change a society in which ANY woman is violated, injured, tortured, and killed. Everyone everywhere has a responsibility to end violence.
I am one in three, and I WILL BE the one who yells from the rooftops until those numbers change. Until every woman who has faced abuse feels less alone and safe enough to find the courage to have her own voice, until violence against women is no longer a part of any woman's story, silence will not be a part of mine."
It's nearly impossible not to be moved by Teri's words. What she dealt with feels, on some level, so unimaginable. Unfortunately, it was all too real for her and the other victim(s) of her abuser.