The recent events surrounding the tragic death of Gabby Petito, and the trial of Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, have been all over the news and social media. Much of the focus has been around the scandal and the drama surrounding these two attractive blonde women, who have captivated the public and the media for very different reasons. What conversations have missed is one glaring fact brought to light by these events – that over 70 percent of women experience abuse from their domestic partner, and one in three women in a DAY die. According to the reports, potential jurors for the Theranos case had been asked if they had every been exposed to domestic abuse, whether phyiscal or mental – and about HALF raised their hands. The video of the 911 call with Gabby Petito’s partner was a painful example of gaslighting – both of her and the responding police officers.

Healthy relationships are essential to health and happiness. Toxic relationships, which are indifferent to race, age, or the size of one’s bank account, are something we want to sweep under the rug and hide behind Instagram filters. Since I published this post in April, many women have come up to me, some having never met me, and said this captured their experience. One even said I was her “soul sister.” Which is sweet but also soul-crushing. My life experience, though tough to think about, has given me the gift of being able to share all of the classic red flags of a toxic relationship and how to GTFO when you feel you might be in one.