END OF VIOLENCE Growing up, I never understood how someone could end up in an abusive relationship. My arrogance was innocence. At 17, I fell in love. We became a couple. And slowly—almost invisibly—things shifted. Jealousy. Control. Words that cut. Silence as a weapon. And eventually, violence. Very real. Very physical. Those years shaped me. They marked my body and my nervous system. It took time, therapy, and deep inner work to reclaim myself—my boundaries, my trust, my voice. Years later, we met by chance on a street.He apologized. Made excuses. Said he wanted to be friends again. I stood there—frozen, but not powerless. This time I chose silence because he had forfeited the right to access me long ago. And I walked away. Today, on the International Day to End Violence Against Women, I want to say this: To anyone living in domestic violence—women, men, anyone: You deserve safety, support, and freedom. To survivors: I see you. You’re not alone. Healing is possible. To everyon...