Don’t Silence Domestic Violence

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Domestic Violence is an issue plaguing communities around the country, including our own backyard.

Latoya Loyd is a survivor of domestic violence.

In 2011, she broke up with her boyfriend to get away from the violence, but she says it was a nightmare she couldn’t get away from, when one night he broke into her home.

“When I open my eyes, I was sleeping, so when I open my eyes he was standing over me. When I looked up at him I didn’t even have time to scream it was just a gasp that’s all that could come out. He just started to beat me. He just started to punch me. He broke teeth, he punched me so many times I couldn’t tell you how many times. I finally fell out of the bed. When I fell out of the bed he pulled a knife out of a sweater and straddled over me on the floor and he started to stab me. In the first stab was somewhere toward my navel and the pain wasn’t even registering. It was just I can’t believe this is happening,” said Loyd.

Loyd was stabbed 23 times that night by a guy she was in a relationship with for two years.

Safe Incorporated is a shelter for anyone experiencing or knows someone dealing with domestic abuse.

Community Educator Lakesha Gamble says most abusers show signs before things escalate into a life or death situation.

“Certainly if your partner has controlling behaviors if they threaten you maybe if there verbally abusive if they try and isolate you from your friends and family those are some of the major ones you want to take notice,” said Gamble.

Statistics show 1 in 3 women like super star Tina Turner and 1 in 4 men have or will encounter domestic abuse in their life time.

Gamble says to combat any situation you have to be ready.

“We encourage you to make a safety plan, a personal safety plan. If you’re in a situation where you need to get out immediately certainly would want you to make contact with a family member or friend, if you needed to get out of an emergency situation,”said Gamble.

That’s just what Loyd did.

“I called a program offered at my job, Care Solutions. My immediate family and my work family, Home Depot, I’ve been here 16 years and that was 7 years ago. We call each other orange blooded family. We make sure we take care of each other. They made sure I was alright financially. I just had to work on getting my health back to where I was before,” said Loyd.

Loyd believes she survived this vicious attack because God wanted her to share this message.

“Don’t silence domestic violence. No one knew what I was going through. If someone  knew something I was going through, they could have seen the preparations he was making. No your worth. If you do get into a bad situation and you think it could never be you, tell somebody don’t be ashamed,” said Loyd.

For more information on help and resources to combat domestic violence visit SAFE.