Janay Rice Inspires #WhyIStayed From Beverly Gooden And Other Abused Women

I’ve never been in an abusive relationship, and when I saw the video of Janay Rice being punched in the head by her then fiance, I just couldn’t imagine why she went on to marry him. Beverly Gooden has been in one, and she knows what could be driving Janay Rice.
Seeing many on social media calling out Janay especially after she released a statement defending her NFL player husband, Beverly decided to change the conversation. She called on her followers to share their stories of domestic abuse with the hashtag #WhyIStayed in an effort to draw awareness to the complexities of domestic violence. She wrote on her website;

For over a year, I was physically abused by my ex-husband. When TMZ released the video of Ray Rice punching, dragging, and spitting on his wife this morning, the internet exploded with questions about her. Why didn’t she leave? Why did she marry him? Why did she stay?
I can’t speak for Janay Rice, but I can speak for Beverly Gooden. Why did I stay? Check out some of my reasons here. Leaving was a process, not an event. And sometimes it takes awhile to navigate through the process.
I believe in storytelling. I believe in the power of shared experience. I believe that we find strength in community. That is why I created this hashtag. I hope those tweeting using #WhyIStayed find a voice, find love, find compassion, and find hope.