Given that October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a member asked me to discuss some ways in which healthy lifestyle behaviors could potentially play a role in inspiring people to leave abusive situations. Motivated by her request, I decided to share my personal story in an effort to inspire and empower others.
My life has been filled with personal triumphs due to my embracing healthy habits at an early age. With an upbringing in the Englewood community on Chicago’s South Side, like many African-American women and girls, I struggled with obesity, leading a lifestyle of physical inactivity and poor nutrition. As a teenager, my mother inspired me to exercise and eat better which allowed me to take charge of my health and completely distance myself from many negative peer influences in order to pursue a long and productive career in exercise science and nutrition. However, with such triumphs I rarely share the darker side of my past, which healthy lifestyle behaviors also allowed me to conquer.
For 2 years I was a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of my partner. I met him early in my 20s and, like most young ladies this age, I was very much into my physical appearance—so was he. This man was significantly older than me and, questionably, more mature. In the beginning of our courtship he wined and dined me like most gentlemen do but pretty soon, the wining and dining was replaced with...
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Posted By: Nina Cherie Franklin Franklin
Wednesday, October 3rd 2012 at 4:51PM
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