A revealing look at why domestic violence victims stay with their
abusers...and how they can ultimately leave. And survive. One Saturday
morning, Gooden is woken up by her husband shoving her off the bed for
no discernible reason. Despite her quick thinking and even quicker
footsteps, her husband catches her, his sudden anger inexplicable. No
words are exchanged. He begins to strangle her as he has done many times
before. With unflinching vulnerability, Gooden outlines in painstaking
detail what she had to do to walk away and how others can use her
experiences to escape their own abuse, from skimming the grocery money,
to squirreling away personal belongings, to navigating a domestic
violence shelter. She offers strategies for overcoming the barriers
survivors often face, such as money, housing, overcritical social
circles, or, most powerfully: love. Uniquely compassionate when it comes
to the heartbreak of still loving one's abuser, Gooden shares how she
transformed and extended this love outward, using her story to encourage
others to choose themselves. The voice and fire behind #WhyIStayed, Bev
Gooden is exceptionally positioned to explore the many reasons victims
stay in abusive relationships, and how they can muster the resources and
motivation to leave. Surviving is unlike any memoir of survivorship,
given its nuance, compassion, and candor. Above all, it is an
exquisitely powerful testament to Gooden's healing, survivorship, and
dedication to helping others do the same.
