A note from Gennady Sharpe

''I am so proud and honoured to be working with Lorna Jane on such a special charity collaboration with Women's Community shelter au.

The reason this is so important to me is because I was in an abusive relationship for nearly three years. I met my abuser at the age of 23. I was young, happy, and carefree and had lived a very sheltered life. I didn't know anything about abuse. I had never seen it so to me it didn’t exist. Now when I look back, I see how incredibly naïve I was to what was happening to me.

The first 6 months with him life seemed very normal, but things quickly changed, and he changed. He changed how he spoke, would call me every name under the sun, would portion my meals and make me go to the gym every day so he could “find me attractive”. He treated me like I wasn’t even a person anymore and made me hate myself so much with the constant put downs and then eventually it turned physical. I remember one time laying on the ground covering my head wondering “is this it is this how I die?”.

I had no idea what was happening to me or how I could possibly ever get out or where I could go so that he wouldn’t find me. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone close to me. He told me so often I was nothing that I believed him and thought very little of myself at this point leaving felt like it just wasn’t an option. I was living in my own personal horror movie everyday never knowing what could potentially happen to me when I walked through my front door.

Eventually I left him with the help of my family and friends. The bruises and broken bones healed but it took a long time to put me back together and I am still trying every day.

This charity is amazing for women and children going through what I went through. We often stay in these relationships because we have nowhere to go or no where we feel safe. The Women's community shelter au is giving women and children the option of safety and that is truly saving lives.''

Gennady has shared more of her story on her own blog.