Why do celebrities/influencers glorify domestic violence?

Why do we watch woman after woman stay with a partner who has cheated, manipulated, controlled, and even put his hands on her— and then see it spun online like it’s just “relationship drama?” When you’re telling your story all over the internet, when we can see the bruises, when we can clearly see the pain, but you water it down for the public. . . it sends a dangerous message.

It is NOT okay.

And what’s even worse is the impact: our Black and Brown girls are watching. They’re absorbing these stories. They’re learning that love means tolerating chaos, pain, and disrespect. They’re seeing their role models choose toxicity and thinking, “maybe that’s normal… maybe that’s what love looks like.

We have to stop glorifying domestic violence.

We have to stop normalizing trauma.

We have to stop calling abuse “rough patches.”

Our girls deserve to see that love is safe. Love is respectful. Love does not hurt.

Let’s tell the truth. Let’s hold people accountable. And let’s remind our girls—and grown women, too— that walking away is strength, not shame.

Nina’s Story — Breaking the Cycle

Nina grew up watching her parents in a toxic relationship. The yelling, the fear, the pain — it was all she knew. She often prayed for peace, but peace never came… until tragedy struck. One night, her father was killed in the street. It was a moment that shattered her would, but it also opened a door—and escape—for Nina and her mother.

By 13, Nina found herself drawn to Marcus, a 17-year-old from around the way. Marcus was charming but reckless—a street dude caught up in the wrong things. To Nina, he felt like protection, attention, and love all at one. But one day, when she didn’t answer his calls—because she was on punishment—Marcus snapped. He showed up angry and impatient, and when he finally found her, he beat her so badly she nearly lost her life.

Marcus went to jail. Nina was left with bruises, broken bones, and a broken spirit—but she survived. Slowly, she rebuilt herself piece by piece, learning to walk, smile, and trust again.

Years later, at 21, Nina met Devin. He wasn’t like Marcus— at least not at first. Devin didn’t hit her. Instead, he tore her down with his words, controlled her through manipulation, and convinced her that love meant pain. Because he didn’t raise a hand to her, she believed it was better. She believed this was love.

But love doesn’t hurt like that. It took time, courage, and therapy for Nina to see the truth. She finally escaped again—this time for good.

“I saw it at home and thought it was okay. But now that I’m grown and in therapy, I know it’s not. Mothers, protect your children—they see everything. They may not speak on it, but they feel it. Stop thinking with your lower half and start protecting with your upper half—your mind and heart.”

P.S.

“I want to thank the Bestie Tribe for standing behind me and helping me see life from a different perspective. The way Ms. Kym talks to me—it’s like I’ve known her for years. I truly appreciate her. And thank you for my beautiful Hello Bestie bracelet—it reminds me daily that survived, and I’m still becoming.”

When We Sat Down to Give Back, We Discovered We Were All Healing Too

We came together for a cause— 10 women, most of us strangers, gathered around a table in Dallas to talk about giving back and helping those who are hungry. But what started as a conversation about service turned into something much deeper— something raw, emotional, and painfully familiar.

As we talked, one by one, we realized that all 10 of us shared a heartbreaking truth: our husbands had cheated on us.

Some of us stayed. Some of us left. And some of us are still trying to find a way to forgive, not just them, but ourselves — for loving, for trusting, for believing that it couldn’t happen to us.

Cheating doesn’t have a gender, a race, or a specific type. It’s universal. And it’s not just infidelity— it’s a form of abuse. Emotional. Psychological. Financial. Each one of us carried scars that weren’t visible but cut deep.

Half of us even knew who “the other woman” was. That realization hurt in ways that words can’t express. It’s wild how some men can justify betrayal so easily, breaking up families and destroying homes for a moment’s pleasure. They ask for forgiveness, expect us to move on, and then slip right back into the same patterns. And when we pull away to protect ourselves, they get angry— as if our pain is the problem.

What hit the hardest was when the conversation shifted to health. Every single one of us had gone to get checked. Two had BV, and three tested positives for STDs or STIs. That’s when the gravity of it truly set in. Cheating doesn’t shatter hearts — it can jeopardize lives.

Ladies, please — protect yourselves. Pay attention to the red flags. Don’t ignore your intuition. You might think you man is on a “boys’ trip,” working late, or just out with friends. But truth be told my husband came home like clockwork every night — acting as if everything was normal — and he was still cheating.

Take care of your heart, your mind, and your body. Because cheating isn’t just betrayal. It’s a violation of your safety, your peace, and your trust.

Cheating is a form of domestic violence.

Niko’s Strength: finding her way back to herself

For six long months, Niko lived in a storm that no one could see. Her smile hid the truth — emotional wounds, the financial control, the spiritual manipulation that slowly stripped her of her confidence and peace.

He made her question her worth, her voice, even her faith. Every dollar had to be explained. Every prayer was turned into a weapon against her. She felt small, unseen, and trapped.

But one morning, something shifted. She looked in the mirror and saw a glimmer — a reminder of the woman she used to be. That was the day Niko decided she was done living in fear.

With courage trembling in her hands, she reached out for help. Step by step, she began to rebuild — emotional, financially, and spiritually. It wasn’t easy, but she kept going.

Today, Niko wears her Hello Bestie bracelet as a symbol of her freedom. It reminds her that healing takes time but hope never fades.

It Wasn’t Rejection, Bestie

You thought losing him was the end —

a cruel twist, a hollow bend.

But what felt like heartbreak’s cruel direction,

wasn’t rejection,

it was protection.

Years you gave to someone cold,

chasing warmth that never took hold.

You poured your love into an empty space,

searching for light in a loveless place.

Then one day, the truth broke through —

not to shatter, but to rescue you.

The tears you cry, let them fall,

each one is healing, breaking the wall.

Scream if you need, release the pain,

wash away the hurt, the guilt, the shame.

You didn’t lose, you were set free,

from what was never meant to be.

And maybe, just maybe, in God’s time,

someone will come, gentle and kind.

Someone who sees your soul, your worth,

and loves you the way you deserved from birth.

So lift your chin, Bestie — no regret.

You’re not forgotten. You’re not a threat.

What walked away was your protection,

not rejection —

just divine redirection. 💜

He Really Didn’t Love Me

He didn’t love me when we stood before vows, rings circling fingers but never circling his heart.

He didn’t love me when children cried their first cries, when little hands reached for us, but he reached elsewhere.

He didn’t love me when I pieced his credit back together, when I poured my strength into him and left myself in fragments.

He didn’t love me as he slipped into lies, as he betrayed our bed with bodies that weren’t mine.

He didn’t love me when outside children bore his name, proof of his choices, proof of my pain.

He didn’t love me at all! The red flags were waving, and I ignored them, until the silence was louder than love.

He didn’t love me— and for too long I didn’t love me either.

But today I do. I gather my pieces, I claim my name, I rise from the wreckage, and I love myself the way he never could.

Written by: Ms. Kym

PTSD in Love: My Story of Betrayal & Healing

I’ve been through a journey I’m sharing because I believe many suffer in silence. I lived with betrayal on repeat. The partner cheated. I forgave. I left. Went to counseling. We got back together. I thought things had changed, but it happened again. the pain was not just heartbreak—it cut deeper. PTSD is real! In a marriage, in a partnership—straight or gay— cheating can leave wounds that don’t heal overnight.

Research back this up! In one study of young adults in committed non-martial relationships who were betrayed by infidelity in the past five years, 45.2% report symptoms consistent with PTSD after discovering their partner’s infidelity.

Sometimes forgiveness feels like the only option—because you want peace, healing, or maybe your betrayal is repeated? Repeated violation of trust is not just emotional pain— it can become ongoing trauma.

That’s why I’ve learned this: You might need to step back from your organization, from your responsibilities, from everything else, to take care of you. Because if you can’t take care of yourself—if you’re emotionally hallow, carrying trauma, walking on eggshells—how can you really help or love anyone else, or hold anything else together?

Self-care is not a luxury. Self-care is survival. And taking a break doesn’t recognize your worth. It means you’re choosing healing over hurt!