Victim of Domestic Violence Tells Her Story

"The first time we got into a scuffle he held me down and burnt my arm with a cigarette," said Kate*, who does not want to use her real name for legal reasons.

Every time her husband abused her, Kate would leave him, but he would always convince her to come back.

"After a while of not talking to him he called and apologized and said he'd never do it again and I went back. I believed him," said Kate.

"It was many things-financial, my kids, and love, I thought."

One time Kate sought refuge at Women's Protective Services, where she met other women with horrifying stories.

"There were women that were beaten with chains, stabbed, shot in the stomach."

Kate went back one to her husband one last time, and three days later he attacked when the two disagreed about what time it was.

"I really don't know what happened. He just kind of flipped.

The only thing I really remember was two of my daughters crying 'Mama, Mama,' screaming behind me. Then I believe I blacked out."

In front of their children, he stabbed her twenty-eight times.

Doctors say it's a miracle she survived.

Now two months later, she pieces her life back together, and feels lucky to be alive.

"Just taking my daughter to her first school dance, I'm in the cafeteria crying because two months ago I didn't think I'd live to see that."

Kate has excruciating pain in her arm, and can barely move her neck.

On her face she wears the evidence of her attack.

"A lot of people stare so much that they ram their carts into stuff. They don't ask. They just stare a lot."

But Kate doesn't care, and tells her story to anyone who asks.
She hopes to save at least one woman.

"They need to get out now. Don't wait until tomorrow because there might not be a tomorrow."