Domestic Violence

Dear Delyara, I don’t know where to begin, because the weight of my words feels like a mountain pressing on my chest. For years, my life has been tied to fear. Every day I wake up, I wait for the moment when my partner’s anger begins. The shouting, the broken glass, and sometimes the blows—not just to my body, but to my soul—have taken everything from me. In front of others, I pretend to be calm and strong. But at night, alone, my hands tremble uncontrollably. Every time I try to speak, fear whispers that it will only make things worse. But I am breaking. I write this letter hoping someone, somewhere, will hear me—even if it’s just words on a page. I just want to live… without fear, without pain, without these chains.