Today marks another year since I lost my daughter to domestic violence. Another year has passed, and it has not gotten any easier. My daughter died at her own father’s hands. Her name was Mariam. All these years, I’ve blamed myself for not being able to save my baby (I know it was impossible in that situation), and I’ve been asking her for forgiveness.

But this year, I did something I haven’t been able to do for so many years. I didn’t see my baby grow up, so I painted a portrait of her as I imagined she would look now. It wasn’t easy—many emotions were involved—but I did it.

This year, I also decided to turn my pain into something positive. In the next few weeks, I will create a Facebook page for domestic violence survivors where we can all heal and see the beauty of the world through art. I will share the group with you when it will go live.

So, I am asking all of you, if you are a domestic violence survivor, to join my group. If you know someone who is, please share it with them.

Remember: Violence is NEVER OK. It’s never OK if someone apologizes after abuse saying, “I’m sorry,” “I’m sorry I was mad,” “I’m sorry, it will never happen again,” “I’m sorry, you know I love you,” or “I’m sorry, but it was your fault, you made me do this.” REMEMBER: It’s not your fault. You DON’T deserve it. You DID NOT make anyone abuse you.

REMEMBER: Help is available 24/7. Call, Chat, or TEXT

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