I once lived with a man who when enraged would punch and kick me. I was once drugged and sexually assaulted by a man I thought I knew.  Both violent experiences left me with physical and emotional scars.

I never dreamed I would get involved with men who would eventually abuse me. I worked hard, I held high profile positions, I was an on air journalist and a newspaper columnist who expressed my opinions openly and freely in any forum, male-dominated or not.