SILENCE PROTECTS THE VIOLENCE
- Denise Wozniak
- Oct 6
- 1 min read
Many years ago, I stayed silent about the abuse I lived through — verbal and physical.
When I eventually shared this photo online, a relative told me to take it down “to avoid more trouble.” But silence doesn’t prevent violence — it protects it. And it feeds denial.
When it was all going on, I remember walking into the Self-Help section of a bookstore, so I could become a better partner, to somehow fix what was broken. That’s when I saw The Verbally Abusive Relationship by Patricia Evans and as I read the first few pages, I checked off every indication of abuse. It opened my eyes. It helped me see the truth of what I was living, and it gave me the courage to leave.
The bruises faded and the abuse ended, but rebuilding the confidence to trust again took far longer.
THEN I MET A MAN.. who had survived abuse in a previous relationship. He was tall and strong; she was small. But being covered with boiling water, controlled, and stalked isn't about gender, strength or weakness — it’s about power and fear.
ABUSE CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE.. and now economic conditions can add to the fear of leaving.
If any of this sounds familiar, please reach out for help. In Canada, visit ShelterSafe.ca. If you’re outside Canada, thehotline.org can connect you with support near you.
No one deserves to be controlled, humiliated, or made to feel small. Not Ever.
