One woman shares her story to hopefully help others

They dated through high school.

"Yes, broke up one time for two weeks and that was it," Warren adds.

But over the years, more than 25 of them, it slowly became more of a horror story.

"He actually knocked me down two flights of stairs when I was 17 and broke my arm and I never reported it. I broke up with him and I let him back," Warren says.

Unfortunately, it's a story too many women can relate to. Last year alone, more than 2,000 cases in the St. Louis area were referred to Legal Advocates for Abused Women.

Linda's story, however, is one of the worst.

"And then just all of sudden, it was oh my gosh, there he was with a .357," Warren says remembering the night her husband tried to kill her.

"The glass was hitting me, I remember yelling oh my god, he hit me," Warren says.

It was March 11, 2006.

"It was horrifying because the look that I remember seeing when I was trying to get the door shut was just hatred," Warren adds.

It was after that frightening moment that she found Legal Advocates for Abused Women.

"We provide attorneys, legal representation, assistance through the court process, access to resources, a lot of safety planning and crisis counseling," explains Megan Slusser, a victim's advocate.

"Without them I wouldn't be here today, emotionally, physically I don't know what would have happened," Warren says.

"I still fear for my life daily, even him being locked up doesn't change the things that I feel, what it's done to me emotionally, physically and more importantly what it's done to my children. It's made a huge impact and changed their lives forever," she goes on to say.

These days with the help of LAAW, she's able to put one foot in front of the other and with every step she's trying to inform and inspire women in similar situations.

"It's not a stranger, this isn't someone who came up to you in dark alley. This is someone that you care about, someone you have a relationship with, possibly a family with not someone who is scary all of the time, it's someone who is loving some of the time," Slusser points out.

"If women only knew those resources were at their fingertips," Warren says.

It's why she's sharing her story. To put a face on domestic violence and hopefully let other women knew they're not alone and there are people who can help.

If you need legal help, advice or someone to talk to Legal Advocates for Abused Women is there to help. The number to call is 314-535-5229.