KOKOMO, Ind. — In 2010, Brittany Monroe met a charming guy through mutual friends. But pretty soon, the charm wore off and Monroe found herself in a physically and emotionally abusive relationship.

For many years, Monroe hid her bruises, along with the fear she had of her partner, from both coworkers and friends. It wasn’t until she realized the abuse would never stop — when her partner and father of her son stabbed her in the kitchen of their home — that she decided to finally seek help.

“When he stabbed me there was a point where it just clicked in my head,” Monroe said. “When I (saw) how his face was, how this just wasn’t going to stop.”

At that moment, Monroe said she woke up. With the help of friends and the Employee Assistance Program at her job at the time, she was able to leave.

That was one year and three months ago, she told the Kokomo, Indiana Tribune, and although her abuser was arrested, he received probation. Nevertheless, Monroe boldly tells her story to inspire others in abusive relationships to make up their minds to get out.

“I hope they realize that (there is) hope,” Monroe said after speaking at a fundraiser aimed at supporting a domestic violence shelter in Howard County, Indiana.

A one-mile walk in conjunction with the event, dubbed the Angel Walk, featured participants dressed in angel costumes and holding signs expressing zero tolerance for domestic violence. Tracy Martino, executive director of the Family Service Association, which oversees a domestic violence shelter in partnership with Indiana University Kokomo, said abuse like what Monroe experienced remains too prevalent and takes many forms.

“It’s when somebody has control over you,” Martino said. “It could be financial insecurity, where somebody has control over your bank accounts. It’s physical violence. It’s emotional violence.”

Monroe was able to find help and get out of an abusive relationship. The reason she stayed so long may be different from the next person’s, she said. But ultimately, the reason she stayed was because she didn’t want to give up on a person she cared about.

“Each person is different but for the most part, you don’t want to be judged,” Monroe said. “You don’t want to feel like you’re weak and you had to give up something. People don’t realize you’re stronger to leave, but it’s hard. It really is hard.”

Martino said people need to hear stories like Monroe’s in order to take the first steps toward addressing the pain caused by domestic violence.

“She was a victim and now she is a survivor,” Martino said of Monroe. “So I think that’s important to tell your story. You don’t know who was a survivor in that room and you don’t know who was a victim . You can help them get help.”

The Kokomo, Indiana Tribune contributed details to this story.