Happy Sunday!

Today’s feature for #SurvivorSunday is the beautiful and empowering, Kendra Turner. A survivor of domestic violence, Kendra left an abusive marriage after 8 years and founded her organization, S.O.D.A., in October of 2015. Since its inception, S.O.D.A. aka Survivor Of Domestic Violence, has broken many barriers in the fight for domestic violence awareness and has no intentions of stopping anytime soon. We applaud Kendra for not only her voice but for using that voice to demand change!

Kendra’s Story

I AM S.O.D.A (Survivors of Domestic Abuse) was launched October 2015. I didn’t realize how many women were been affected by domestic abuse until I shared my story. I lived “behind a mask” for 8yrs. My youngest daughter was 8yrs old when the abuse started and 16 when left him. I met him in 2007 and was married 2008. He was charming and a giver. He had my family fooled into thinking he was this wonderful guy. There were times, I thought I was the crazy one. You see its called “gaslightening”. In October 2014 he came back to our home (even though there was a restraining order in place) and kicked the back door down to end my life with a screwdriver in hand. That’s when the thought came one of us is going to die and the other in prison. I was mentally drained from this volatile and toxic marriage. I SURVIVED that night and finally went forward with prosecuting him. He was facing 15yrs due to him being a habitual offender but only received 2yrs in prison of which 6 months served in the county jail, a little over a year prison time and the remainder at a half way house. After I divorced him, I was homeless & jobless for a year. I cried all the time, was angry with God and wanting to just give up. The thought came to me one day, God chose me for this purpose, he called me out to be a testimony and to give him the glory! He knew I would speak out and encourage other women to do the same. If you are a survivor or still involved with your abuser, know that you’re not alone and there is help. Tell a friend, family member, your doctor or contact a shelter for women.

Stop suffering in silence, I’m a living testimony that it won’t get better!! The violence will increase and you may not make it out!! I AM S.O.D.A!!!!! -Kendra Turner

Facebook I AM S.O.D.A.