Do You Know How to Get Out of an Abusive Situation Safely?

Kelly J. Stigliano grew up in a quiet Amish town in Ohio in the 1970s and was always searching for excitement. A handsome young musician, home from the U.S. Navy, shared his drugs, music, and experiences beyond her naivete. How could she have known that behind this charming facade hid a misogynist, eager to take control of her life?

Kelly progressed from being a rebellious teenager to the position of an abused spouse. Having been hit in the head and told she was worthless had taken a toll and she felt helpless and hopeless.  

Kelly J. Stigliano is an author, speaker, and survivor of abuse whose mission is to help women who are in an abusive domestic situation, leave safely without harming anyone in their family.  She is also a volunteer for the First Coast Women's Services, a pregnancy resource center. 

In Kelly's interview, she discusses how women find themselves in domestic abuse situations, how it's not as easy to leave as one might think, and how with God it is possible to leave safely without harming anyone. 

When I asked Kelly what motivates her to help women, she responded:

"I had always seen my past as a string of stupid, embarrassing mistakes to be kept to myself. One day in 1986, I stood in the church foyer comforting a mother whose teenage daughter only communicated in anger, threatened to run away, and threatened to kill herself. In obedience to what I felt the Lord told me, I opened the door to my past a tad, sharing a tiny bit of my tumultuous teen years. Having me, the Christian school principal’s wife and mother of two elementary kids, share that one sliver of fact literally made her contact lens pop out of her eye! I think that was a good thing. She hugged me and thanked me for giving her and her husband hope. I’ve been sharing my story in various forms since then."

Kelly's stories have been published in magazines, e-zines, and thirteen anthologies including three Chicken Soup for the Soul editions. Her memoir, Praying for Murder, Receiving Mercy: From At-Risk to At Peace; My Journey from Fear to Freedom has touched lives across the globe. 

Having been hit in the head and told she was worthless took a toll on Kelly and made her feel helpless and hopeless. During her interview, she shares that no matter what type of abusive situation you find yourself in, you can change your circumstances once and for all.