SURVIVOR STORIES

I recently asked my audience, "What do you want to see up on the blog?" Majority of them responded to my suggestion of me making more individual posts as well as survivor stories. Don't get me wrong, I want this blog to be mainly about these strong women and children who have been a victim in someway. I intend to have Havenly not about me, but about women and overcoming trials. It always blesses me immensely to hear how my survivors overcame the toughest moments in their life. Women empowering women! Yesterday, and today, have been really hard on me....

I had to be maybe 11 at the time. One of the photos that reminds me of this time is this one - photo shown- because I remember being that small, and wearing a nightgown which is why he had such easy access to me. I remember clearly being at the dinner table and him talking to my grandpa (I’m adopted) and he would always call me over and have me stand next to him. My grandpa who is / was a preacher, made friends with this man. So he was invited to live with us for a time. I...

Back when I was 19 years old, I went to live with my grandparents 3 1/2 hours away to get away from an abusive relationship I was in. All was going well, I had a job and a new life there. I was able to see all of my aunts and uncles more often. I was happy. 3 months had gone by, and I started having trouble sleeping. I told my grandparents. My grandpa suggested I take some of the pills he took on a regular basis to help him sleep! He explained it was all natural and it should...

I met him after matching on a dating app for Latter-day Saints called Mutual. I was just about to graduate from college. On the first date, I didn’t know if I liked him but was just intrigued enough for a second date. On the third date, he surprised me at my house just as another date was leaving. And somehow he completely charmed me that night. On the fourth date, he told me he loved me and I believed him. Everything was so lovely. I’d never felt so in love or so loved. He made me feel cherished. There were...

Okay I‘m sharing my story first! So you’re reading this thinking, “Didn’t you already tell your story?” I did, but with little to no detail of the actual event that happened. I didn’t want the ‘About Me‘ page be full of graphic details so that everyone would read my trauma and define me as my rape. I am not my rape. My rapist has no control over me now. He took ONE very long night and ONE very hard year. The reason I shared the other version is because I simply wanted to share the reason behind Havenly. But here...