One night she confronted him about needles she found in his pocket while doing laundry and he exploded. 

  SPECIAL SECTION: Domestic Silence

"I threw the needles on the bed and said 'What's this?'" Lisa said.  "He jumped up and grabbed me by the neck when he had three prior domestic violence charges against me."

Ritter's voice broke as she remembered how close she came to death in that fourth and final beating.
 
"He choked me until I passed out and I'd wake back up and he'd be on top of me and he'd choke me again until I passed out and it went on like that until police kicked the door in," she said.

Unfortunately Lisa's story is similar to thousands of others around Ohio.

According to Barbara Holman, Executive Director of the Miami County Family Abuse Shelter, statistics show a domestic violence victim will return to the person that hurt them an average of seven times before they find the strength to leave. The shelter staff is always welcoming.

"Some people aren't ready to make the break but they still need to know their options," Holman said.  "Other people are very motivated, one time and they are ready to go."

Domestic Violence Advocate Daphane Carnes works one-on-one with victims at the shelter.  She sees all kinds of abuse that doesn't come with physical evidence like cuts, bruises and black eyes. 

"I often see mental abuse, emotional abuse and financial abuse," Carnes said." And I'm starting to see an increase in medical abuse.  Where the abuser is withholding medical coverage from the victim and the children."

If you think you are being abused in any way, contact the Ohio Domestic Violence Network at 1-800-934-9840.

Read and watch part one of the report: Abuse in Ohio

Watch our Parenting Project Interview on Family Violence: Karen Days of the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence

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