Domestic violence survivor speaks out

NEAR WATERTOWN, S.D. (KELO) — Just a week and a half after a brutal attack, a domestic violence survivor is sharing her story. Monday, Darian Whitlock is out of the hospital, but is just beginning to heal. Her ex-boyfriend is in jail, charged with attempted first degree murder.

Whitlock suffered injuries to her hip and shoulder, which left her in the hospital for a week. Her jaw also had to be wired shut. She is now recovering at her grandparents’ house.

“I miss my kids dearly because I can’t hold them. I can’t play with them, I can’t sleep with them at night, but I know eventually I’ll get to. So that just really keeps me going,” Whitlock said.

We talked with her grandfather. Since Whitlock is staying at his home, he asked us to not use his last name.

“My granddaughter was brutalized. How, do you come to terms with that? How you put that in its place and move on is very difficult. We’re working on that daily, but it’s a lot to deal with,” Whitlock’s grandfather, Marshall, said.

Since the attack, Whitlock has received an overwhelming amount of support for her and her two children. As of today, her GoFundMe has raised well over $15,000.

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“We were together for many years, and each time I would try to leave, he would just always say that I would have nobody. It’s just I can’t even describe how much it means to me because there really is so many people. I never could have imagined that I would have this many people in my corner supporting me and my children,” Whitlock said.

But Whitlock and her kids still have a long recovery ahead.

“The emotional injuries may take much longer, and that will be counseling, long term both for her and her children, because they’re pretty traumatized over this,” Marshall said.

Whitlock says domestic violence is a problem, and she has a message for anyone experiencing a similar situation.

“It might seem like you’re alone, but just know that you’re not. And there are people out there that really do care and will do anything they can to help get you through the situation that you’re in,” Whitlock said.

To donate to her GoFundMe, click here.

To buy a T-shirt, click here (This link will go live in a couple of days and will be available for 10 days for purchase).