Woman raises awareness of domestic violence and self-defense after aunt’s death
Two months ago, Tiffany lost her Aunt Tammy to domestic violence. Now, she is channeling her grief to bring awareness to others.
(Tiffany, who is using her social platform to raise awareness about domestic violence)
“People don’t realize how often it happens on a daily basis, with men and women,” she said. “Unfortunately, my Aunt Tammy was a victim of it, she did not survive it. It's giving me a bigger push to let others know about domestic violence and the Byrna.”
Tiffany said her aunt was in a relationship for nearly 15 years with the person suspected of taking her life and her aunt never thought it would happen to her.
(Tiffany's Aunt Tammy)
“He’d always threaten her if she left. It’s never going to get better with the person who acts that way, acts out on domestic violence and it’s best they get out. There’s shelters. There’s people that will help. There’s all kinds of things. You’re not alone,” she said. “It happens to even the brave and the strong people.”
(Tiffany's Aunt Tammy)
When Tiffany learned about the Byrna, she instantly thought it was a self-defense tool that everyone should carry.
Although Tiffany is an avid hunter and describes herself as “pro-firearm,” she said she would be hesitant to use her lethal weapons on a person. She says when it comes to the use of a gun, it comes down to one question: “are you really going to pull that trigger?”
“I’d be terrified and with Byrna - it’d be easy to pull the trigger on that if needed,” she said. “You’re gonna have those people that talk bad and say, ‘gun up,’ but okay, well, if it came down to it, are you actually going to use that? Are you actually going to be able to protect yourself? And that’s the real question and nobody knows that until you’re put into that situation,” she said.
She believes even if you own a firearm, you should have a Byrna or if you have no form of self-defense, then you “definitely” need the Byrna.
“You can protect yourself, and get that bad person away, and give yourself some time to get away from that situation and to get that help without killing that person,” Tiffany said.
Tiffany, who was previously in an emotionally abusive relationship, said she is thankful every single day that she left, and she encourages other victims to do the same.
“I will do my best to raise awareness for especially those women that feel alone and feel like they can’t get out of the situation, you just have to do it,” she said. “You have to put it in your mind I’m getting out of this and I’m getting out of it today, and you don’t look back and you don’t go back, you move forward because one day it could be you in a bad situation and it could be fatal.”
She believes everyone should always be ready to defend themselves and hopes by sharing this story she will be able to help others.
“I would just want to take the bad thing that happened with her and just shout it out to the world and let people know that it don’t matter your color, don’t matter your race, it don’t matter. It can happen to you. You need to be aware of it and that’s why everybody should carry something to protect themselves,” she said.