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Woman spreads awareness about domestic violence
Ariel Plasencia reports.
CLEARWATER, Fla. - A Pinellas County resident and domestic violence survivor is sharing her story ahead of her ex-husband’s court date in October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Shakura Ogletree’s story starts about a year ago. While out shopping, a handsome store manager caught her eye. The two fell in love and were married six months later.
Shakura Ogletree is a domestic violence survivor.
But he wasn’t the family protector she thought he’d be, Ogletree told FOX 13. Things took a dark turn one night earlier this year.
"He kept saying that I was going to leave him. I kept trying to sympathize with him because it was 3 a.m. in the morning," Ogletree said.
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He took away her keys and her phone. Then the situation escalated and turned violent.
"Every time he picked me up, he slammed me to the window, and I felt the window because I could feel the glass breaking," Ogletree, who suffers from epilepsy, said. The mom of four said she suffered seizures during the incident.
Her four kids were there and called police.
"He started to scream to the police, come get her, come get her before I kill her!" Ogletree recalled.
Ogletree's four kids called the police for help.
Thankfully, officers were able to save the Pinellas County mom and her children. That’s why she’s sharing her story.
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"Ladies, we got to be smart. You got to be smart. We got to be smart because somebody didn't get to wake up today," an emotional Ogletree said Friday.
Ogletree sought help from Hope Villages of America, a Clearwater nonprofit that provides housing resources and abuse services for those in need.
According to the nonprofit, numbers show 40% of Black women will experience domestic violence. In addition, leaders tell us one in three women and one in ten men will be victims of domestic violence.
Hope Villages of America is a Clearwater nonprofit.
"There's so many [victims] out there, and we can't do it alone. So we need the community’s support," Jonita Lewis, chief communications and development officer for Hope Villages Of America, said.
Ogletree’s ex-husband has a sentencing hearing scheduled for Monday.
On Tuesday, Ogletree is speaking at the nonprofit’s 22nd annual Faces of Domestic Violence luncheon, which raises money for resources for survivors.
For more information on the event, click here.