SISTERHOOD OF SURVIVORS
Forty-five Maine women survivors aged 18 to 85 are standing proud and speaking loud on Finding Our Voices posters and bookmarks in 100 towns across Maine, alerting the general public to the raging public health emergency that is domestic abuse, erasing the stereotype, and letting our sister-survivors know they are not alone, it is not their shame or their fault, and there IS a way out.
View video recordings of survivors sharing their experiences on our Survivor Voices page.
Click on our names below to hear our voices.
Photo portraits by Patrisha McLean
Know your worth.
He stole my glasses so I couldn’t see.
He put his gun to my head in his police uniform three times with no legal consequences.
He threatened to shoot our dog.
When it's your mother doing it, you make a million excuses for her.
He told me no one else would ever love me.
I couldn't figure out when I fell off the pedestal.
Everything he did to me, he said I did to him.
He didn't hurt me physically, but he tortured me psychologically.
I couldn’t see my family.
Ida
My body and mind are my own again.
He punched me in the face.
Governor
Janet T. Mills
Domestic Violence affects everyone. Years ago, a man I loved threatened my life. Escape from violence is possible.
I was drowning in financial and court abuse.
There are five other victims before us that we know about.
He told me I was fat and ugly and he was the only one who loved me.
My father almost killed my mother. I loved him.
My mother was afraid he would smash my hands so I couldn't work [hairdresser].
Kerry
It took me years to call it what it was: Rape.
When he bought an axe I knew I had to leave.
