Hi everyone, if you don’t know me from the climbing community in East TN, my name is Lauren and I have been out of an extremely abusive relationship for almost two years now. Healing has not been easy, but I am finally catching a glimpse of who I once was and who I want to be again… A confident person that enjoys climbing and the awesome community of people. 
The story of my abuse is long and intense. I’m sure some of you have heard at least some pieces of it, so I won’t go into all the details. ”He” controlled and manipulated me for 5 years. When we first met he claimed to be a sociopath and told me that he would hurt me. I wish I had listened to him. I thought I could handle anything, being no stranger to trauma and abuse, but what followed nearly killed me. Years of psychological abuse and manipulation had me under his complete control, until one day I became pregnant. I wasn’t ready for a child, but I had a bad feeling about getting an abortion. After some back and forth emotions I told him I wanted to keep it. After screaming and spitting in my face didn’t change my mind. He threatened to kill my child; he also told me that I would be a terrible mother and told me that I would end up just like my dad; who battled depression and committed suicide. I was scared. I was triggered. I was under his control. 
Unfortunately my body does what it usually does and doesn’t react well to things. I had to have three of the most painful procedures in order to not be pregnant anymore. I was broken. I am convinced that he wanted me to feel broken so that I would “follow in my dads footsteps”. He would tell me he would be relieved if I unalived myself, which I tried to do. 
Anyways, I am here, I am alive. I am trying to heal. Unfortunately dealing with mdd, cptsd, and other health problems from the abortions, I haven’t been able to work full time and live off less than 10k a year which makes things even harder. I don’t ask for much though. But I do ask for a safe place to climb and train, which has been essential for rebuilding my confidence and me as a person. 
I hope you will sign this and stand up for me. Please help me ban “him” from coming to my gym. 
Thank you, 

Lauren