One of the classic traits of an abuser is how they isolate their victim from support networks. When I lived in a van and traveled all over the country my “support” was only localized for a few days at a time in each location and most of the time I was incapable of recognizing the offers of help. I heard, “If you and the kids ever need a place to stay…” and not once did it cross my mind these were offers to get us all away from my abuser. Not once.
Now, years, no decades later, I have wondered what might have happened had social media been something available to me during those dark years. It’s a question that will forever defy an answer of course, but I still wonder.
Ms. Audrey Zetta has shared her story, “How Twitter Helped Me Realize I Was in an Abusive Marriage” published on Medium. Here’s a little from her story,
It was 2008, and I had just joined Twitter. Although I’d joined to promote my retail business, I soon realized the social media platform could also connect me to other people. At the time, I was living in a rural area in a tiny Midwest town and had many acquaintances, but few true friends. On Twitter, fast friendships could be formed with people from all over the world. In fact, one of these Twitter friendships changed the course of my life.
It’s a good investment of six minutes of your time and it might just help someone find their way to freedom.