Windy Citizens is a new series profiling people we think you should know. The debut Windy Citizen is Chantelle Branch, 38, a domestic violence specialist. This is her story as told to Sarah Nardi.
Out of nowhere, he hit me. He hit me so hard that my contact popped out of my eye. And I remember thinking, “Oh my god, I’m driving.” I couldn’t believe he did that. And what’s crazy to me is that I just kept driving. I didn’t know what else to do, so I just drove home.
Since escaping that relationship, I’ve done the work of transitioning from a victim to a survivor. I’ve created an entirely new life for myself, and my mission is to help other women do the same.
If you or someone you know is the victim of or at risk for domestic violence, help and resources are available by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 (SAFE), or by visiting the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s website, ncadv.org.
