LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a Las Vegas woman shares her story.

“The abuse just got more prevalent every single year,” Kristen, who wanted to only use her first name, said. “I always thought, ‘They’re going to get better’. They would tell me, ‘I will never do that again. It’s never gonna happen again. I’m gonna get help, ’ but that never happened. And it continued to get worse and worse and worse over time.”

For 15 years, Kristen lived in fear, trapped in a relationship that became more dangerous with time. She tried to leave on multiple occasions but was controlled by fear and years of manipulation.

“I was fearful to leave. I was made to believe that I couldn’t do anything on my own without this person,” Kristen said.

Soon, the threats became too serious to ignore. Kristen sought help from SAFE House, a domestic violence shelter. They connected her with an advocate who helped her plan a safe escape and rebuild her life.

“There is light at the end of that tunnel, and getting out is the best thing that a person can do because if you don’t, it could end in a bad situation,” Kristen said.

SAFE House Ceo Beth Flory says Kristen’s story reflects a concerning problem across Nevada.

“Nevada typically ranks in the top 5 year after year after year with domestic violence homicides and rates of domestic violence,” Flory said.

Kristen hopes her story shows others that survival and healing are possible.

“I’m thriving. I am a success story,” Kristen said. “I am a survivor of domestic violence, and I’m very passionate about wanting to help victims know that they can also have a success story, that they can get out and stay out, and they can be safe.”

SAFE House offers a 24-hour crisis hotline for anyone trapped in a domestic violence situation. For more information, visit Domestic Violence Shelter Serving Las Vegas & Henderson, NV Families | SAFE House or call (702) 564-3227.