In response to the video showing NFL player Ray Rice knocking his then-fiancée unconscious, women and men shared their own powerful stories on Twitter. BuzzFeed News spoke to the woman who began the hashtag.
Yesterday morning, a video of Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice violently attacking his then-fiancée Janay Palmer was released by TMZ, causing outrage across the world.
AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File
In the disturbing footage, Rice is seen knocking Janay unconscious and dragging her out of an elevator. The NFL, which had previously given him a mere two-game suspension for the incident, suspended Rice indefinitely after the footage was made public.
#WhyIStayed was started by writer Beverley Gooden, who was physically abused by her former husband for over a year. Gooden told BuzzFeed News she was inspired to start the hashtag after seeing people ask why Janay didn't leave Rice after the incident, and how she felt shame when she saw people ask that question.
"It was the same shame that I felt back when I was in a violent marriage," Gooden said. "But yesterday, for a reason I can't explain, I'd had enough. I knew I had an answer to everyone's question of why victims of violence stay."
She said that although she could not speak for Janay, she could speak for herself. "My hands were shaking when I sent that first tweet, but it didn't take long for others to join me. I wanted my power back, my power to have my voice heard."
