Deciding to come forward and start telling close friends and trusted colleagues that I was in grave danger and being abused was incredibly difficult. As a somewhat public person, I was extremely ashamed and fearful I would lose my job, lose friends, and that I would be blamed for staying in a horrific situation. I did lose friends and I was judged for staying by some. However, those that believed me and the team at the Riverside County District Attorney’s office fought hard to extricate me from a place where my life was teetering on a super thin margin. It was the support I received that lifted me up and helped me successfully push through a dark time and come out the other side to the light. It’s been several years since I made it out alive and being free from that nightmare is truly a miracle!