This 
Being in an abusive relationship affects more than the person being hurt. The fear and tension reach into the whole family. Children may not know everything that happens, but they often feel more than we realize.
Keeping secrets can become a way of surviving. You hide the pain, make excuses, and smile when you feel like crying. Without anyone to talk to, your world grows smaller until you feel completely alone, and hope seems out of reach.
I know that loneliness. It is part of why I share my story. No one should have to carry that pain in silence. You deserve to be heard, believed, and safe.
With love, Sandra
This Masquerade, The True Story is Sandra’s own account of the secrets she carried, and how she found the courage to begin again.