Stories of strength and success Series

All proceeds to charity "That would never happen to me. I'm too strong. I would walk out." Those were KC Andrews' thoughts as a trainee nurse listening to a lecture on domestic violence. But when it happened to her, it took years to finally leave.  She has now rebuilt her life from the ashes of a brutal marriage, and along the way met other women who have survived the fog of fear and feelings of worthlessness – and then on the outside, endured the disbelief and bureaucratic bungles of those who should have helped.  But now, each woman's brilliance is emerging once again. Each one tells her unique story to help readers understand the many different shapes domestic violence can take. And yet the focus of this book is not on the horror, but the healing. Each woman shares the skills, techniques and attitudes that helped her to shine once again. This book is for anyone who is living in an abusive relationship, knows someone who is, or has emerged and is looking for a roadmap out of darkness into the light of new beginnings. ----------------------- Broken to Brilliant is an Australian Not For Profit Charity where Domestic Violence Survivors Mentor other Survivors to re-establish successful lives. These courageous women are mothers, accountants, nurses, managers, models, executive managers, sales trainers and account executives. Each at a different stage in re-establishment and recovery, they have banded together to share how they have rebuilt their lives.

'People congratulated me when I left my abusive marriage, but I didn't feel like celebrating. I felt loss, grief, shame, anger, resentment, regret, uncertainty, relief and excitement. How can one person feel so many emotions at once? Where could I go for help? Who would understand?' From these questions, the charity Broken to Brilliant was born, where survivors help other survivors rebuild their lives using the power of story. In Terror to Triumph, twelve domestic violence survivors describe the terror they experienced and the additional challenges they encountered from a system that was supposed to help them. Most importantly, they tell of the practical steps they have taken – physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually – to journey from darkness to light and build new lives. They tell of continued recovery, and how they have reclaimed self to reach a sense of triumph. Broken to Brilliant is an Australian not-for-profit charity where domestic violence survivors mentor other survivors to re-establish successful lives. When we saw the impact our first book, Broken to Brilliant, had on people's lives – how the words breathed hope into people's hearts, how it gave them a spark that jump-started a new chapter in their lives, and how the power of people's stories created ripples of recovery and repair – we could not turn away and stop these ripples of healing. There had to be a second book. We salute each of our authors for their courage and dedication, and hope Terror to Triumph will bring change and possibility into your life, too.

Nine women and one male domestic violence survivor describe how they were shattered by physical and sexual violence, or emotional and psychological control. Through persistence and courage, they have risen above their situation and come out the other side shining with positivity, strength, commitment and empathy for others.

'I was so busy keeping him happy I didn't notice how long it had been since I'd seen my friends. I seemed to apologise for everything. I was constantly tense, holding my breath, trying to predict his mood. Slowly my world became smaller, darker and lonelier.'   Coercive Control is an insidious fog. The first 'red flags' are so small you don't notice them: a simple remark about how to do something 'the right way' or a suggestion about how you should dress. He cares about where you are and who you are with.   Eventually, he is making all the decisions and controlling the finances so you 'don't have to worry' and because he knows what's best. The subtle chains of coercion and abuse have robbed you of your confidence, your family and friends, your finances, and even the ability to think you can make decisions on your own. You are trapped.   We all want the perfect relationship, but for the courageous authors in Coerced to Courageous, their soulmate was more like checkmate. These brave, resilient, brilliant women have penned not only their fight to bring themselves and their children happiness and peace, but also shared what they have learnt along the way, especially the tools that helped them rebuild their lives after abuse. They want to encourage and empower you to break the chains of coercive control and create the life you deserve.   Broken to Brilliant is an Australian not-for-profit charity where domestic violence survivors mentor other survivors to re-establish successful lives using the power of story.   When we saw the impact on people's lives of our first three books – the changes made, the hope in their hearts, the joy and gratitude for their new lives – we had to continue to share stories of hope, healing and recovery. There had to be a fourth book.   We applaud each of our authors for sharing their raw, vulnerable and courageous stories. Our hope is that these books will provide you with the tools to take back your power so you can rebuild your life the way you choose. Each step forward is a courageous move toward your new life filled with peace, happiness and achievement.