Nicole’s story is one we know all too well, but often shy away from because it’s too confronting. After a vicious attack by her husband - an event that made headlines - he’s now serving a 5-year prison sentence. Despite what happened, Nicole chose to stay. She’s fully aware of the risks and doesn’t encourage other women to do the same. But this is her story. Like many victims, Nicole’s heart is full of empathy. She wants to help him and hold her family together.

Her story matters because without understanding, there’s no empathy, and without empathy, how can we help? Hundreds of thousands of women make the tough choice to stay. What happens when we judge or abandon them? When they finally do decide to leave, they often have no one, and this can create a perilous cycle of going back out of fear of being alone. The shame is isolating enough.

Please, don’t give up on women like Nicole. If you can, offer help. Or, at the very least, be grateful you don't know what it's like to be her.

Together, we can make a difference.