Author Description

How do people fall in love with abusive individuals? Why do they choose to stay? Lani Hankins is a writer, speaker, domestic violence survivor, and Army veteran. Following a traumatic experience in the service that was related to military sexual trauma, Lani turned to writing and art to help ease the pain left behind after the assault. When she later found herself in an abusive relationship, Lani would return to the things that helped her survive while she was a soldier. Through painting and poetry, she was able to express the pains and horrors of being trapped in a home full of violence, gaslighting, and betrayal. These poems describe domestic violence from the early days of a relationship to the point of escape and healing. From manipulation to emotional breakdown, surviving an abuser to surviving one’s self, each poem peels back another layer to expose the truth about intimate partner violence.