Woman Viciously Attacked By Ex-Boyfriend Raising Awareness Through Make-Up
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A young woman who nearly died after being viciously attacked by her ex-boyfriend is now using her career as a make-up artist to help other victims.
"I try to remind them that it sucks, but we have to keep going," the woman, who we identify as "Lilly," told CBS2's Vanessa Murdock. "We have to go on with our lives -- live it as we are."
Eleven years ago, Lilly's ex-boyfriend nearly took her life by stabbing and slashing her so violently that she spent three months recovering in the hospital.
"As women, we no longer feel attractive or pretty because we feel damaged. We have scars and we don't want other people to see it," she said.
Make-up helped transform her life. At first, she felt it was even a necessity.
"I felt like I needed to hide some stuff, soften my scars with make-up or focus on other places," she said.
Each brushstroke helped her heal and now she's a professional make-up artist. She uses her artistry to raise awareness. When people ask about her scars, she doesn't shy away from answering honestly.
"It's a great opportunity for me to speak about my story and maybe help someone. How often is it that someone else has a story to share as well? So many times. So many times," she said.
"One in four women and one in seven men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime," Rachel Goldsmith, associate vice president of Domestic Violence Shelters at Safe Horizon, told CBS2.
She said it's crucial that the public talks about it more. Goldsmith said the #PutTheNailInIt campaign is the perfect conversation starter.
"The goal is to take a vow to end domestic violence," she said.
Lily has proudly taken the vow and hopes her message of hope and healing reaches those in need.
"No matter how bad the situation might seem, there's always light at the end of the tunnel," she said.
In the meantime, domestic violence awareness advocates remind you that you are not alone and that there are people who want to help.
Visit the #PutTheNailInIt campaign website for more information.
