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.
