My Brutal Childhood

>>Editor’s Note: Dr. Jamila Battle has bravely stepped forward to share her story of abuse with us. We at Woman AdvaNCe applaud her bravery and candor. It is important to note that she is one of thousands who are victims of abuse every year. According to the >>Child Welfare League of America , more than 19-thousand children were victims of abuse or neglect in North Carolina in 2013 and 29 children died. Abuse is known to spike during the holidays when stress levels are high and the time brings out the best and worst in individuals. We invite you to read Dr. Battle’s story, and keep in mind how important it is to be involved and aware of what might be happening to the people around us. If you suspect someone is the victim of abuse, don’t be silent, and consult with an expert to help you help them in the best and safest way.

By Dr. Jamilla Battle

My dad was a talented and charismatic jazz musician, who everyone loved. On the outside, my family’s life looked perfect. But what many didn’t realize is that we actually lived in a prison. The windows to our home had metal bars that were designed to keep me, my mother, brother and little sister caged in, along with our family’s deepest darkest secrets. We shared our house with rats and bats, and other rodents, that were often used to torture us.

It wasn’t uncommon for me to be bound with duct tape and beaten with wire. I witnessed my mom get brutally beaten to a pulp and tied-up as my father smeared a dead rat over her limp body, to terrify her.

Enduring child abuse led to many other problems for me. After my abusive father fired a partially loaded gun at my head on a thankfully empty chamber, followed by his attempt to rape me, I finally called for help. I was removed from my home and was placed in one toxic foster home after another.

Although I escaped 14 years of childhood abuse, it followed me and sapped my joy and creativity. It was therapeutic to write and share my truth and the intimate bleeding story of what was going on in my head in hopes that others will better understand what they are going through and those that they love.

My confessions have resonated with others facing similar emotional challenges and thus may give them hope and encouragement that they, too, can change their lives for the better. It is one of my deepest wishes to provide perspective for those who are suffering from trauma to help them create meaning and a new life.

Many struggle to speak their truth and paint the picture of what past memories are embed in their hearts. I want to help those bound by trauma turn their pain into promise and purpose thru confession, compassion, love and forgiveness by giving them a voice.

My determination to overcome it, the struggle with long-term effects of abuse, and finally getting my life of abundance, speaks volumes to the resilience of the human spirit to overcome tragedy. Now as a doctor, witnessing these terrible effects in our society, I have committed myself to do everything I can to lift and help repair those people.

Join me as I take you on a journey of Reboot, Repair, Rebirth, through this #1 Amazon Bestselling Book and healing guide, “ from Abuse to Abundance”