Jennifer Taylor
Right out of my second year of college I met a guy from my home town and I thought he was the right guy for me. During the 4 years I was with him he beat me with a hose in front of his friends, held a gun to my head, threw me through a window (the close-up picture shows the scars on my arm from the 27 stitches I received), berated me, made me feel like it was always my fault, and cheated on me resulting in several children with other women.
At the end of the 4 years when I had finally had enough I reached out to a friend from college who would protect me from his abuse. I had not talked to him for several years because he went home to another state after college. I ended up moving to Chicago from Iowa. No family or friends, just him and his family. His mom let me move in. It took a while, but he showed me how to love again and that there were men who did not abuse the people they loved. He taught me that my self-worth was important and that I was beautiful. He picked me up from the disaster that I was involved in and made me whole again. We have been married for 19 years and have 2 beautiful teenagers. He loves me for who I am and I am FOREVER grateful.
I identify with the BD brand because for 4 years, my life was a disaster that I thought I would never get away from. I wear your clothes and I have a lot of them because I want people to know that good can come from bad. I want people to ask me about my story so I can show them there doesn't have to be a cycle of violence. I have the scars to remind me every day of my past, and I know I am a stronger person because of it.
Thank you for listening to my story.
Jennifer Taylor