North Texas Abuse Survivor Talks Ray Rice Video
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - As the nation collectively recoiled at the sight of a 200 pound football player punching his then fiancée in the face, Maryann Escamilla is equally troubled by what the video didn't show.
"There was no remorse," says Escamilla, "there was no 'oh my God! What did I do??? Is she still breathing? Did I kill her?' Nothing."
Escamilla is convinced that now disgraced former NFL running back Ray Rice wasn't shocked at seeing his fiancée knocked out cold on the floor, because he'd seen it before.
"I know he'd seen it before," insists Escamilla. "I've been there."
In January of last year, North Texans were both riveted and repulsed as Escamilla took the stand to testify against a former boyfriend who had beaten her so badly that prosecutors called the attack 'torture'.
He always promised to change, he always promised to stop," says Escamilla of Jose Arreola. He was later found guilty and sentenced to 28 years in prison for the attack. He has since appealed the conviction. "I would tell him sometimes, 'one day, you're going to kill me'."
And in March of 2011, he almost did. By the time Escamilla got help, she had almost bled to death from dozens of stab wounds, her lip was nearly separated from her face, her ribs were cracked, a lung collapsed and her genital area had been mutilated.
"I was broken," recalls Escamilla. But, during that trial, she opted to show her face and share her story in the hope of helping others. "I wanted people to see exactly what that does to you. It breaks your spirit."
But, now, supported by family and close friends, the woman that was then known as 'Maria' Escamilla prefers to be called Maryann. She says the name reflects her new life and completes her transformation from abuse victim to survivor, to now advocate.
"I went from not being able to bathe myself or feed myself to speaking in other countries and trying to educate."
It has been, she admits, a very long journey. But, with the support of family and close friends she travels with a renewed purpose to encourage other women that violence at the hands of a supposed loved one is never their fault.
"I've finally hit a place in my life where I'm really, really, good."
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